1885.015.00 Removing a Person – DSS Manuals

IM-22 April 11, 2024 ; IM-11 February 20, 2020 ; IM-90 July 11, 2017

When it is reported that a household member is leaving action should be taken to remove the person from the home.

Note: Do not remove children during their Continuous Eligibility for Children (CEC) period unless you are moving them to another household or a valid closing reason applies. Refer to 1805.070.00 Continuous Eligibility for Children (CEC) for valid closing reasons.

Review the tax filing status and relationships. Determine the following:

Will the tax filing status and relationships remain the same?

Will coverage for anyone else in the household be affected?

Is person leaving the only one affected?

Is the person going on coverage somewhere else such as another household, Children’s Division, etc.?

When the head of the household is the individual being removed from the home, coverage ends for all household members age 19 and over. Individuals 18 and under will remain covered in this household through the end of their continuous eligibility period unless they meet a valid closing reason or they are approved in another household.

If the individual being removed is the only MO HealthNet for Families (MHF) eligible child in the home, MHF eligibility also ends for the parent/caretaker(s). If the child will continue to be their tax dependent they will be included in the MAGI Household size, but for a parent/caretaker to qualify for MHF there must be a MHF eligible child residing in the home. Refer to MAGI Manual section 1805.030.10.20 Exceptions to MAGI Household Composition .

Inform the household from which the individual is being removed prior to the action to remove the person takes effect. Send an Action Notice to the household from which the individual is being removed.

Note : If the request to remove a person is received in writing, the 10-day adverse action period does not need to be given. Send the Action Notice to inform the household that the individual has been removed.

Example: Steven and Melissa are actively receiving MHF with their two children. Melissa calls in and says that Steven is no longer in the home and has moved out of state. Melissa attests that Steven intends to continue to claim their children as tax dependents; however, she is exercising more than 50% physical custody and care of the children.

Outcome: The children are tax dependents of a non-custodial parent and therefore fall under tax non-filer rules.

Melissa’s household consists of herself and her two children. She continues to receive MHF with the children as she is the custodial parent (exercising more than 50% physical custody and care of the children).

The children now fall under non-filer rules, their household composition will consist of themselves, their sibling and Melissa. They continue to receive MHF.

Steven is ineligible because he is not a Missouri resident and is out of the home as the non-custodial parent.

Melissa will receive an adverse action notice that Steven is no longer eligible for MHN as he is no longer a Missouri resident. Steven’s benefits will end after the adverse action period.