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This page last updated in Release Number: 20-04 Release Date: 11/23/2020 Effective Date: 10/24/2020 13.6 Change Reporting Existing change reporting policy applies for members in a suspension (see CHAPTER 12 CHANGE REPORTING). The exception is a suspension may be lifted effective for the first of the month when the person was released from prison or jail, even if the release was reported untimely. See SECTION 13.4 SUSPENSION END DATE. This page last updated in Release Number: 20-04 Release Date: 11/23/2020 Effective Date: 10/24/2020 13.7 Household Composition If the individual who is incarcerated belongs to a household, the person will be considered “temporarily absent” from the household and remain a countable member of the household for Medicaid during the suspension. The other household members will also remain countable within the incarcerated member’s suspended assistance group. There is no limit to how long inmates can be considered temporarily absent from the Medicaid household, as long as they continue to meet program rules. Applicants and members are responsible for determining if an individual who is incarcerated is part of their household or not. They will be able to include this information in the application and when reporting a change. IM workers should accept this information that is provided by the applicant or member. Verification of this information is not required. Members can also report changes to the household status during the incarceration period. Example: Quinton and Meg are married and both are enrolled in Medicaid. Quinton is the Primary Person on the case. Meg is incarcerated on January 3, 2021. Quinton reports Meg’s incarceration and that she is still part of the household. Meg’s suspension starts on February 1, 2021, and she continues to be on the same case as Quinton. On June 7, 2021, Quinton decides that Meg is no longer part of the household. He reports that Meg is still incarcerated but is no longer part of the same household as him. Meg is removed from the case and her suspension ends June 30, 2021. Meg must fill out a new application for herself if she wants to continue having suspended health care benefits going forward. This page last updated in Release Number: 20-04 Release Date: 11/23/2020 Effective Date: 10/24/2020 13.8 Special Rules 13.8.1 Children Whose Parent/Caretaker is an Inmate If the only parent(s) or caretaker(s) in the household are incarcerated, any children on the case open for Medicaid will remain eligible for the remainder of their 12-month continuous coverage period. Eligibility for the children will end at the end of the 12-month period unless they open for health care on another case. Example 1 Faye and her 10-year-old daughter, Chantelle, are both enrolled in health care as of January 1. Faye is enrolled in medically needy Medicaid and Chantelle is enrolled in BadgerCare Plus. On March 9, Faye is incarcerated. Faye’s suspended Medicaid starts April 1. Chantelle will remain open for full-benefit