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Families and Children Manual Policy Manual Number: 010.020 Section: Financial Eligibility Chapter: Countable and Excluded Income
September 1, 2026 Division of Tenncare 16 For the 2016 tax year, the amount that may be excluded is $8,222.10 per month ($7997.10 for the highest enlisted pay + $225 for imminent danger pay).
g. Community Spouse Income Maintenance Allowance (CSIMA)/Dependent Income Maintenance Allowance (DIMA) Excluded. If an individual has a spouse receiving Institutional Medicaid, the individual may receive a CSIMA. The CSIMA is an allocation of income intended to keep the spouse of an institutionalized individual residing in the community. If the individual is receiving a CSIMA and the spouse is not part of the individual’s household when determining eligibility, the CSIMA is excluded. If the individual is a dependent of someone receiving Institutional Medicaid, the individual may receive a DIMA. The DIMA is an allocation of income from an institutionalized individual to a dependent residing in the community intended to cover living costs. If the applicant is receiving the DIMA and the institutionalized individual is not part of her household, a DIMA is excluded. h. Death Benefit Excluded. A death benefit is received as the result of another’s death. Examples of death benefits include: ii. SSA lump sum death benefits; iii. Veterans Affairs (VA) death benefits; iv. Proceeds of life insurance policies received due to the death of the insured; and v. Railroad Retirement lump sum death benefits. Recurring survivor benefits such as those received under Social Security Title II, private pension programs, etc. are not death benefits. i. Domestic Volunteers Act Payments to volunteers from the following programs are excluded: vi. Title II Retired Senior Volunteer Program; vii. Foster Grandparent Program; and viii. Title III Service Corps of Retired Executives, Senior Companion Program and Active Corps of Executives. j. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Earned income tax credit payments received as advance payments or as refunds are excluded.