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MISSISSIPPI DIVISION OF MEDICAID Eligibility Policy and Procedures Manual CHAPTER 102 – Non-Financial Requirements Page |108 Effective Month: July 2025 Allowed Categories of Inmate Eligibility Potential categories of inmate eligibility are limited to the following coverage groups: • Children under the age of 19. Eligibility is determined using MAGI rules unless the child is disabled. . Note: Tax filer parents may expect to claim a confined child as a dependent for the tax year. Detention in a juvenile facility is specifically listed in IRS Publication 501 as a temporary absence due to special circumstances which does not interrupt household member status. When expected to be claimed as a dependent, the confined child continues to be a household member for eligibility of the MAGI at-home household. • Pregnant women. Medicaid eligibility based on pregnancy is allowed to continue through the post-partum period or eligibility is allowed to be established based on pregnancy, including retroactive Medicaid. • Disabled individuals. Disability must be confirmed by an SSA disability onset date or established by DDS. Eligibility will be allowed in the Healthier MS Waiver. • Aged individuals with no prior Medicare entitlement. Eligibility will be allowed in the Healthier MS Waiver. • Former Foster Care Children-Eligibility is allowed to continue up to age 26. NOTE: It is not possible for an individual to qualify as a parent/caretaker relative while in inmate status since there is no direct primary responsibility for a child under age 18 while the individual is incarcerated and separated from the child(ren). Regional Office Responsibilities for Inmate Applications and Inquiries Regional Offices must accept applications from inmates or from a city, county or state correctional facility for an inmate. If a signed application is received and it is identified as being from an inmate, accept the application: • Route inmate applications to the Central Office for handling, including any that are clearly ineligible because the applicant is not aged, disabled, under age 19 or pregnant.