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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 7

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 3 Chapter 7 Verification

For Medicaid Coverage Groups and West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) Only: Being homeless, a victim of a natural disaster, or a victim of an emergency situation are all considered as limiting an individual’s compliance with obtaining verifications. Once citizenship and non-citizen status are verified, an eligibility decision is made for these individuals on available information alone. 7.2.3 CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES The primary responsibility for providing verification rests with the client. It is an eligibility requirement that the client cooperate in obtaining necessary verifications, with an exception being that a client must never be asked to provide verification that he is or is not either a fleeing felon or a probation/parole violator. The client is expected to provide information to which he has access and to sign authorizations needed to obtain other information. Failure of the client to provide necessary information or to sign authorizations for release of information results in denial of the application or closure of the active case, provided the client has access to such information and is physically and mentally able to provide it. For Medicaid Coverage Groups and WVCHIP Only: • Client self-attestation is verified by electronic data sources. • The client must not be required to provide verification unless information cannot be obtained electronically or self-attestation, and electronic data sources are not reasonably compatible. See Section 7.2.5 below. Refusal to cooperate, failure to provide necessary information, or failure to sign authorizations for release of information, provided the client has access to such information and is physically and mentally able to provide it, may result in one of the following: • Denial of the application • Closure of the assistance group (AG) • Determination of ineligibility • Disallowance of an income deduction or an incentive payment No case may be determined ineligible when a person outside the AG or income group (IG) fails to cooperate with verification. The following individuals are not considered part of the AG or IG but must provide verification: • Ineligible student (SNAP – verification only required for student status) • Non-qualified non-citizens (all programs)