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MISSISSIPPI DIVISION OF MEDICAID Eligibility Policy and Procedures Manual CHAPTER 102 – Non-Financial Requirements Page |109 Effective Month: July 2025 • Appropriate Central Office staff will handle all approvals and denials for inmates, including inmates whose release is imminent. • Inmates whose release is imminent and who have previously qualified or will qualify once released will have coverage coordinated with their release date. Central Office will handle and coordinate pre-release applications. If a correctional facility contacts the RO about inmate eligibility, ask for the contact information from the caller and refer the information to the Central Office through the RO Supervisor. The caller may also be referred to contact the Office of Eligibility directly via the Central Office toll free number. If the RO is notified directly about an inpatient stay for an inmate who was Medicaid or CHIP eligible prior to being incarcerated, refer the case to the Central Office to handle the necessary reinstatement of eligibility to cover the inpatient stay. Any applications received by the RO for coverage of an inpatient stay must be referred to Central Office for handling. Medicaid-eligible inmates that enter a public institution and remain eligible and inmates who apply and become eligible while institutionalized have appropriate edits and modifiers in place for claims processing that limits Medicaid payments to covered inpatient services only for the duration of the confinement. Applications for former inmates or for any individual listed in policy as not considered an inmate (for example, an individual sentenced to house arrest) or residing in a facility not considered a public institution is the responsibility of the RO to accept and process. Central Office Responsibilities for Inmate Applications and Renewals As stated above, appropriate Central Office staff processes all approvals and denials for inmates applying for Medicaid while incarcerated. Electronic files are also shared with correctional facilities under contract with DOM and DHS via FAM to identify inmates eligible upon entry. Central Office staff maintains a caseload of eligible inmates and conducts required annual renewals and notifies the appropriate facility of inmate eligibility. Pre-release applications or renewals are also processed by Central Office. Appropriate modifiers and edits are inserted to ensure proper payment of