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MISSISSIPPI DIVISION OF MEDICAID Eligibility Policy and Procedures Manual CHAPTER 100 – General Provisions P a g e | 7 • Identifying and reporting third party resources for foster care and adoption assistance recipients. 100.03 RIGHTS OF APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS Any individual applying for and/or receiving assistance has certain rights relating to receipt of Medicaid benefits, which are addressed in this section. 100.03.01 OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY Any individual who requests assistance, including those who are clearly ineligible, must be allowed to apply immediately. Medicaid Specialists must make a reasonable effort to assist the applicant in establishing eligibility. 100.03.02 CIVIL RIGHTS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION The Division of Medicaid complies with all state and federal policies which prohibit discrimination based on race, age, sex, national origin, handicap or disability as defined through the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. All complaints of discrimination will be investigated in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations. 100.03.03 ACCESS TO INFORMATION The applicant, recipient or his authorized/designated representative may have access to information in the eligibility case record by requesting copies of information from the file, in certain situations and under specified conditions as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 Act. The privacy restrictions for protected health information (PHI) under HIPAA laws are very specific regarding disclosure of information to and on behalf of a Medicaid applicant or beneficiary. For a complete discussion of privacy policies and privacy procedures for all disclosures and the authorizations forms required prior to releasing case record information, refer to HIPAA Privacy Policies and HIPAA Privacy Procedures located on the DOM website. Effective Month: July 2025