Page 1680

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 20

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 45 Chapter 20 Emergency and Special Assistance Programs

20.3.6 MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE PAYMENT The income limit for the indigent burial program is 133% of the federal poverty level. This would be the income limit for the responsible relative. The household size and income would include all individuals that reside in the same household as the responsible relative. The deceased and their income would not be included in this. There is no asset test for the responsible relative. If the applicant is not considered a responsible relative (spouse, child, parents, siblings) then the income does not need to be verified. The income limit applies to responsible relatives only. If a responsible relative applies and is over the income limit someone else cannot reapply in place of the responsible relative. The burial would remain denied once a responsible relative comes forth and is found over the income limit. The maximum allowable payment is the limit on the amount of payment that can be received by the funeral home when the Department of Human Services (DOHS) participates in the payment of a burial. The extent of the DOHS’s participation, or the amount of the program benefit, is determined by the burial rate and, when applicable, the amount which exceeds the maximum allowable payment. The maximum allowable payment is not to be confused with the burial rate. The maximum burial rate is the amount the DOHS will make toward the cost of all funeral-related expenses. The maximum burial rate is $1,000. The maximum allowable payment is also used to establish eligibility for a burial payment in relation to the resources of the deceased and to contributions made by responsible relatives. Finally, the maximum allowable payment is used to establish the amount of resources (i.e., payment received from sources other than the DOHS) that may be received by the funeral home before the maximum burial rate is reduced. The maximum allowable payment for burials may not exceed $2,200. The amount of resources that are exempted before being applied to the burial rate is $1,200 (exempted resources amount of $1,200 + burial rate of $1,000 = $2,200). Therefore, the DOHS will not participate in the burial costs when the total amount of resources received by the Funeral Home Director for a burial is $2,200 or more. When the amount of resources exceeds $1,200 but is less than $2,200, that amount, the excess, is less than $2,200 this amount will be deducted from the burial rate from the $1,000. The income limit is 133% of the FPL. Example: The Funeral Home Director receives payment of resources on a burial for $1,450.