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UPDATED: JUNE 2010

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OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE RELATIVES (LRRs) PARENTS AND CHILDREN

IV-D REQUIREMENTS

Description: Title IV Section D (IV-D) of the Social Security Act was established to: secure and enforce child support and medical support from absent parents; establish paternity when necessary; and to provide a parent locator service. For more detailed information regarding IV-D refer to the Public Assistance Source Book, Section VIII-T.

Policy: Generally, a Medicaid household including a child under the age of 21, whose parent is absent from the home, must as a condition of eligibility meet the requirements to secure medical support and establish paternity, unless good cause not to cooperate exists OR they are otherwise exempt. Not all IV-D requirements apply to the Medicaid program; pursuit of cash support is not a requirement for Medicaid A/Rs.

NOTE: In situations of equally (50-50) shared custody of a child(ren) a referral to the Child Support Enforcement Unit (CSEU) should be made except when good cause is established, they are otherwise exempt, or instances where medical support/health insurance is already being provided. The referral would be made for the parent that does not reside in the household in which the child receives Medicaid unless they are otherwise exempt.

Cases to refer to IV-D: • MA cases that include a child under the age of 21 with an absent parent, and/or for whom paternity has not yet been established, provided the case does not meet the exemption criteria, shall be referred to the CSEU. At no time during a women’s pregnancy shall a referral be made for the pregnant woman or her children. Referrals are made after the end of the month of the 60 day post-partum period. ; Cases exempt from referral to IV-D: • Child-only MA cases for all children under the age of 21, including children living on their own and children in receipt of SSI; • Parents or step-parents who already provide health insurance and/or cash medical support for the child for whom paternity has already been established regardless of living arrangements; (MRG)