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SSA Quarters of Coverage Verification Procedures for Lawful Permanent Residents for Eligibility

Manual Title Chapter Page Revision Date Virginia Medical Assistance Eligibility M02 April 2021 Subchapter Subject Page ending with Page M0220.000 CITIZENSHIP & ALIEN REQUIREMENTS Appendix 3 1 Determinations for Months Prior to April 1, 2021 This appendix contains the process for determining the number of qualifying quarters (QQ) with which a lawful permanent resident (LPR) who entered the U.S. on or after 8-22-96 can be credited and is to be used in conjunction with the State Verification Exchange System (SVES) User Guide.

I. Procedures:

A. To determine the number of QQ available to a LPR applicant, ask the applicant the following questions:

1. How many years has the applicant, the applicant's spouse, or the applicant's parents (before the applicant turned 18) lived in this country?

2. How many years has the applicant, the applicant's spouse, or the applicant's parents (before the applicant turned 18) commuted to work in the U.S. from another country before coming to the U.S. to live, or worked abroad for a U.S. company, or worked in self-employment while a legal resident of the U.S.?

(If the total number of years to both questions is less than 10 years, STOP because the applicant cannot meet the 40 QQ requirement.) 3. In how many of the years reported in the answer to question 1 did the applicant, the applicant's spouse, or the applicant's parent earn money through work?

B. To determine whether the applicant's earnings were sufficient to establish "quarters of coverage" in those years, refer to the income chart in section II .

If the answer to question 3 is 10 years or more, verify from INS documents or other documents the date of entry into the country for the applicant, spouse and/or parent. If the dates are consistent with having 10 or more years of work, initiate a SVES inquiry.

C. Complete or obtain from the applicant a completed "Consent for Release of Information" (see page 4 of this appendix) with the full name, social security number and date of birth of each individual (self, spouse, or parent) whose work history is relevant. In addition, the applicant must provide a form signed by each such individual, except deceased persons, giving SSA permission to release information through SVES on that individual to the agency and/or the applicant. Retain the consent form in the case file to document the individual's consent. A consent form is valid for 12 months from the time of the signature.