Disability Services Division eList

TO: Lead agencies and all interested stakeholders
FROM: DHS Disability Services Division on behalf of DHS Health Care Eligibility and Access Administration Division
EFFECTIVE: March 1, 2016
PURPOSE: To alert lead agencies and interested stakeholders about a March 1, 2016, letter certain people who receive services will get about spousal impoverishment rules. We also provide talking points for fielding questions.
CONTACT: Disability Linkage Line® at 866-333-2466

March 1, 2016, letter to waiver recipients affected by spousal impoverishment rules

On Dec. 16, 2015, DHS announced it had agreed to impose spousal impoverishment rules when determining financial eligibility for certain waiver programs because of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements. People who use the following waivers are affected:

• Brain Injury (BI)
• Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI)
• Community Alternative Care (CAC)
• Developmental Disabilities (DD).

DHS is sending all affected enrollees a letter dated March 1, 2016 (PDF) that explains the possible change. As the letter states, affected enrollees do not need to take action right now.

If you receive questions from an enrollee about this letter, please use these DHS Health Care Eligibility and Access Division talking points (PDF) to answer the questions. If the enrollee has additional questions, direct the enrollee to the Disability Linkage Line® at 866-333-2466.  

We will continue to provide information as it becomes available.