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COMAR 10.09.24.04

328 State of Maryland Medical Assistance Manual Revised July 2012

with the agency and the applicant to meet those requirements. The requirement to apply for all income benefits to which there may be entitlement does not extend to requiring application for SSI or Public Assistance. The LDSS/LHD should advise an applicant of the existence of the SSI and Public Assistance Programs and where to apply, but cannot impose a requirement to apply or take any adverse action based on the applicant’s failure to apply.

The requirement to apply for income benefits does not apply contributions to a pension system to which a person belonged for at least 5 years, but not longer belongs for reasons other than retirement or disability. Persons are not required to withdraw such finds as condition of eligibility. Refer to CR 559. However, if a person chooses to withdraw funds in a lump sum, the funds will be considered an income benefit for the period under consideration beginning with the month the month it is received. Once a person verifies that application for potential benefits has been made, a determination of initial eligibility may not is delayed pending the results of the application filed for those benefits. Each case involving pending application for income benefits should be flagged for the anticipated date of decision on entitlement. If that date cannot be readily established, the case should be flagged for contact within three months to determine if an anticipated date of decision has been established. At the time of redetermination or reapplication, eligibility shall be determined on the basis of the applicant’s or recipient’s documented reasonable and continuous efforts to establish entitlement to income benefits. When an applicant or recipient cannot provide documentation from the source that this requirement has been met, eligibility is to be terminated. When the requirement has been met but no decision has been made, the LDSS must maintain follow-up activities until documentation of the final decision is received.

(a) Social Security Number

As a condition of eligibility, applicants and recipients must provide the LDSS with a Social Security Card (or cards if more than one number has been issued) for each member of the assistance unit and any person whose income and resources are considered in determining the financial eligibility of the assistance unit. If the applicant or recipient cannot furnish a Social Security Card for each of these persons, he/she must apply for a card.

Application for the card and verification of that fact are requirements must be met before eligibility can be granted.

The Maryland Department of Juvenile Service (DJS) representative for a child is an applicant for Medical Assistance may act as a representative for that child in filing for a Social Security Card if the DJS representative shows the local department a copy of the court documents committing to the child to the DJS. Once a card has been applied for (and that fact verified), Medical assistance may not be denied, delayed or discontinued pending the issuance or verification of the number. Failure to apply for a card, however or (failure to provide the required verification) will result in the ineligibility for the person whose Social security number has both been applied for.

If an applicant or recipient is physically or mentally incapable of acting for him or lacks the resources to meet the above requirements, the LDSS/LHD must assist him in obtaining the necessary