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(MRG) UPDATED: JUNE 2010 6 CATEGORICAL FACTORS LOW INCOME FAMILIES (LIF) Policy: Families with children under age 21, children under age 21 who are not living with caretaker relatives, applying caretaker relatives (including adult only cases) and pregnant women may be eligible for Medicaid under Low Income Families (LIF). (See CATEGORICAL FACTORS ADC-RELATED LIVING WITH SPECIFIED RELATIVE for more information on caretaker relatives) Although for federal reporting purposes, deprivation of parental support or care due to continued absence, death, incapacity, or under/unemployment is recorded, families that do not meet the deprivation criteria are included in the LIF group. References: SSL Sect. 366 366-ee 367 ADMs 10 OHIP/ADM-01 OMM/ADM 97-2 GIS 09 MA/ 027 Interpretation: Although the ADC cash category no longer exists, Medicaid cannot be more restrictive than the ADC methodologies that were in effect on July 16, 1996. The LIF category consists of families with a deprivation and families without a deprivation. Disposition: The financial standards under LIF provisions generally parallel those of the cash program; however, no methodology which is more restrictive than the methodology used in the ADC cash program on July 16, 1996, may apply to LIF. Because Medicaid and cash eligibility are de-linked, future changes made to the cash program will not automatically trigger changes to the Medicaid program. If an A/R is determined eligible under the LIF criteria, deprivation factors are explored and appropriate WMS categorical codes used for reporting purposes. If the A/R is not eligible under LIF, eligibility must be determined under, Family Health Plus, Family Planning Benefit Program, etc. Effective for eligibility periods on or after January 1, 2010, there is no resource test for LIF A/Rs. For A/Rs applying for Medicaid coverage for the three month retroactive period prior to January 1, 2010, there is a resource test.