1997 Minnesota Statutes

     256L.05 Application procedures. 

    Subdivision 1.    Application and information 
 availability.  Applications and other information must be made 
 available to provider offices, local human services agencies, 
 school districts, public and private elementary schools in which 
 25 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced price 
 lunches, community health offices, and Women, Infants and 
 Children (WIC) program sites.  These sites may accept 
 applications and forward the forms to the commissioner.  
 Otherwise, applicants may apply directly to the commissioner.  
 Beginning January 1, 2000, MinnesotaCare enrollment sites will 
 be expanded to include local county human services agencies 
 which choose to participate.  

    Subd. 2.    Commissioner's duties.  The commissioner 
 shall use individuals' social security numbers as identifiers 
 for purposes of administering the plan and conduct data matches 
 to verify income.  Applicants shall submit evidence of family 
 income, earned and unearned, including the most recent income 
 tax return, wage slips, or other documentation that is necessary 
 to verify income eligibility.  The commissioner shall perform 
 random audits to verify reported income and eligibility.  The 
 commissioner may execute data sharing arrangements with the 
 department of revenue and any other governmental agency in order 
 to perform income verification related to eligibility and 
 premium payment under the MinnesotaCare program. 

    Subd. 3.    Effective date of coverage.  The effective 
 date of coverage is the first day of the month following the 
 month in which eligibility is approved and the first premium 
 payment has been received.  The effective date of coverage for 
 eligible newborns or eligible newly adoptive children added to a 
 family receiving covered health services is the date of entry 
 into the family.  The effective date of coverage for other new 
 recipients added to the family receiving covered health services 
 is the first day of the month following the month in which 
 eligibility is approved and the first premium payment has been 
 received.  The premium must be received eight working days prior 
 to the end of the month for coverage to begin the following 
 month.  Benefits are not available until the day following 
 discharge if an enrollee is hospitalized on the first day of 
 coverage.  Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, 
 benefits under sections 256L.01 to 256L.10 are secondary to a 
 plan of insurance or benefit program under which an eligible 
 person may have coverage and the commissioner shall use cost 
 avoidance techniques to ensure coordination of any other health 
 coverage for eligible persons.  The commissioner shall identify 
 eligible persons who may have coverage or benefits under other 
 plans of insurance or who become eligible for medical assistance.

    Subd. 4.    Application processing.  The commissioner of 
 human services shall determine an applicant's eligibility for 
 MinnesotaCare no more than 30 days from the date that the 
 application is received by the department of human services.  
 Beginning January 1, 2000, this requirement also applies to 
 local county human services agencies that determine eligibility 
 for MinnesotaCare.  

    Subd. 5.    Availability of private insurance.  The 
 commissioner, in consultation with the commissioners of health 
 and commerce, shall provide information regarding the 
 availability of private health insurance coverage to all 
 families and individuals enrolled in the MinnesotaCare program 
 whose gross family income is equal to or more than 200 percent 
 of the federal poverty guidelines.  This information must be 
 provided upon initial enrollment and annually thereafter. 

    HIST: 1986 c 444; 1987 c 403 art 2 s 63; 1988 c 689 art 2 s 
 137; 1992 c 549 art 4 s 6,19; 1993 c 247 art 4 s 6; 1994 c 625 
 art 8 s 72; art 13 s 3; 1995 c 234 art 6 s 10; 1996 c 451 art 5 
 s 10; 1997 c 225 art 1 s 9-11; 1997 c 251 s 26