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MISSISSIPPI DIVISION OF MEDICAID Eligibility Policy and Procedures Manual CHAPTER 102 – Non-Financial Requirements Page |23 individual possesses a passport, it must be provided. However, if the individual does not already have a passport, the document is generally considered unavailable due to the time required to process a passport application so the individual can meet verification requirements by providing a lower-level document, such as a birth certificate, secondary evidence of citizenship, and a driver’s license or other picture identification to verify identity. Economic Hardship It is generally the individual’s responsibility to provide required documents and pay associated fees to obtain them. However, when individuals are economically disadvantaged and unable to pay fees associated with obtaining necessary documents, lower level evidence of citizenship and identity will be accepted. Providing Assistance When an applicant or beneficiary, who is homeless, an amnesia victim, mentally impaired or physically incapacitated and lacks someone to act for them, does not have the required verifications, the Medicaid Specialist must assist the individual to document U.S. citizenship and/or identity. In addition, staff must attempt to contact and provide assistance to any applicant or recipient who is known to be deaf, hard of hearing, blind, mentally or visually impaired, physically incapacitated or otherwise disabled, illiterate, limited English proficient, homeless and/or requires communication assistance with reading agency notices and other written correspondence prior to denying or terminating their case. The case record must be documented with all efforts taken by specialists to provide assistance to individuals with special needs, conditions and/or barriers. Eligibility will not be denied or terminated until all avenues of verification have been exhausted. However, when the individual has been given a reasonable opportunity to provide the information and all avenues of assistance have been exhausted and documented by the specialist, eligibility must be denied or terminated if needed information is not provided. 102.04.05 90-DAY REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY PERIOD The 90-day reasonable opportunity period is applicable to those declaring to be U.S. citizens and to those declaring to be qualified aliens, as outlined in Section 102.05. As indicated, verifications(s) are needed when there is an inconsistency between the Effective Date: July 2025