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(100%) and, as such, the availability of financial assistance through QI-1 eligibility is contingent on Federal appropriations. For members of this group: a. Medicaid makes a direct payment to the SSA for the Part B premium. b. Eligibility begins the month in which the application is filed and all requirements are met and ends on December thirty-first (31st) of the year in which the application is filed. c. Cost-of-living increases in Title II benefits (COLAs), effective in January each year, are disregarded in determining income eligibility through the month following the month in which the annual Federal Poverty Guideline update is published. d. Deeming applies. e. Retroactive coverage may be available. Retroactive eligibility (of up to three (3) calendar months prior to application) applies if the individual met all QI eligibility criteria in the retroactive period, and the retroactive period is no earlier than January 1st of that calendar year. 8. MN and QMB (+) and SLMB (+) – Participation in the MPPP may adversely affect the income eligibility of a person seeking initial or continuing Medicaid health coverage through the MN pathway. As the State pays some or all Medicare costs for MPPP participants, these allowable health expenses cannot be counted toward a MN spenddown. This, in turn, may make it difficult to obtain Medicaid health coverage for high costs services that are covered only in part or not at all by Medicare. MPPP enrollment may also affect other forms of Medicaid eligibility if it changes the way income or resources are counted. An agency eligibility specialist should be consulted by an applicant or beneficiary who is concerned that enrolling in the MPPP will affect access to Medicaid health coverage. 1.7.3 MPPP Application Process A. There are multiple application pathways for pursuing MPPP eligibility. 1. MPPP – Persons seeking MPPP coverage may apply through the State or the SSA. If applying through the State’s IES, a person has the option of applying for the MPPP only or Medicaid health coverage and the MPPP. 2. LIS and Social Security Administration (SSA) – An application for the LIS program is available online at: https://secure.ssa.gov/i1020/start or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. –