M-1100, Texas Administrative Code Rules

Revision 12-1; Effective March 1, 2012

§360.101. Overview and Purpose.

(a) This chapter governs the eligibility requirements for the Medicaid Buy-In Program (MBI), which is authorized under §531.02444 of the Texas Government Code, and which provides Medicaid benefits under the option explained in §1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XIII) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §1396a(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XIII)). All references in this chapter to MBI mean the Medicaid Buy-In Program.

(b) MBI is administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). All references in this chapter to HHSC mean the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

(c) MBI provides Medicaid benefits to working persons with disabilities, regardless of age, who apply for Medicaid and meet the requirements explained in this chapter.

(d) Nothing in these rules shall be construed to violate the maintenance of eligibility requirements of section 5001 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) and make eligibility standards, methodologies, or procedures under the Texas State Plan for Medical Assistance (or any waiver under section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §1315)) more restrictive than the eligibility standards, methodologies, or procedures, respectively, under such plan (or waiver) that were in effect on July 1, 2008.

§360.103. Applying and Providing Information.

(a) A person applies for MBI by completing an application for MBI and submitting it to HHSC. The date of receipt of the signed application by HHSC is the application filing date, and thus establishes the application month explained in §360.119 of this chapter (relating to Medical Effective Date).

(b) HHSC notifies an MBI recipient in writing when it is time to redetermine the recipient's eligibility. This usually occurs once per year, although HHSC may require a person to reapply sooner if HHSC determines that a special review of the person's eligibility is appropriate. An MBI recipient must reapply when HHSC sends written notice of the requirement to the recipient's case address of record. The written notice explains the deadline to reapply. If an MBI recipient fails to reapply by the deadline stated in the written notice, HHSC may terminate the recipient's MBI eligibility.

(c) HHSC sends in writing to the person's case address of record the eligibility decision on an application, reapplication, or reported change. If the person disagrees, the person has the right to request a fair hearing to appeal HHSC's decision, as explained in HHSC's fair hearing rules in Chapter 357 of this title (relating to Hearings).

(d) An applicant for MBI must provide HHSC with all requested documentation and information that HHSC advises is necessary to determine the applicant's eligibility. If the applicant fails or refuses to provide requested information by the date specified in a written request from HHSC, HHSC may deny the application for failure to furnish information. When this occurs but the person later provides the requested information, the date that the requested information is provided to HHSC becomes the application filing date explained in subsection (a) of this section.

(e) A person who applies for or is receiving MBI must report to HHSC within 10 calendar days any information that may impact the person's eligibility. If a person fails to comply with the requirements of this subsection, HHSC may redetermine the person's eligibility as of the date the information should have been reported to HHSC.

§360.105. Citizenship, Immigration Status, and Residency.

To be eligible for MBI, a person must meet the citizenship, immigration status, and residency requirements in Chapter 358, Subchapter B, of this title (relating to Nonfinancial Requirements).

§360.107. Disability.

To be eligible for MBI, a person must meet the definition of disabled as defined by the Social Security Administration for purposes of the federal Supplemental Security Income program, as explained in 20 CFR §416.905 and §416.906, except the requirement that the person be unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity does not apply.

§360.109. Work.

To be eligible for MBI, a person must be working and earning income. The person must provide evidence of earnings that is satisfactory to HHSC.

§360.111. Income.

(a) Earned income.

(1) To be eligible for MBI, a person's monthly countable earned income must be less than 250% of the federal poverty level.

(2) Countable earned income means earned income for purposes of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program minus all applicable exclusions and exemptions, as explained in 20 CFR §§416.1110 - 416.1112.

(b) Unearned income is entirely excluded under this section, but is considered in the determination of a person's monthly premium amount, as explained in §360.117 of this chapter (relating to Cost Sharing).

§360.113. Resources.

(a) To establish and maintain eligibility for MBI, a person's countable resources must be equal to or less than $3,000 plus the amount of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) resource limit for an individual that is explained in 20 CFR §416.1205. Countable resources means resources for SSI purposes as defined in 20 CFR §416.1205, minus all applicable exemptions and exclusions explained in 20 CFR §§416.1207 - 416.1239.

(b) In addition to the exemptions and exclusions explained in subsection (a) of this section, the following are not countable resources under this section:

(1) Independence accounts.

(A) An independence account (IA) is a segregated account in a financial institution, the purpose of which is to save for future health care and work-related expenses to increase an individual's independence and employment potential.

(B) Only a person's own earned income may be deposited into an IA, and amounts deposited cannot exceed 50% of the person's gross earnings. If for any SSA Qualifying Quarter a person deposits more than 50% of the person's gross earnings into an account that is designated as an IA, the account loses its IA designation and the funds in the account become a countable resource for the 12-month period beginning with the first month after the SSA Qualifying Quarter. An SSA Qualifying Quarter is a three-month period that ends on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each calendar year and during which a person's reported earnings and FICA contributions are enough for SSA to give the person Social Security wage credits.

(C) Only health care or work-related expenses may be paid from an IA. For any SSA Qualifying Quarter, if funds in an IA account are used for any other purpose, the account loses its IA designation and the funds in the account become a countable resource for the 12-month period beginning with the first month after the SSA Qualifying Quarter.

(2) Retirement related tax-sheltered accounts. Retirement related tax-sheltered accounts include IRAs, 401(k)s, TSAs, and KEOUGHs that comply with IRS regulations.

§360.115. Deeming of Income and Resources.

(a) For purposes of MBI eligibility, each person is considered a household of one.

(b) If a person lives with a spouse, the person and spouse are each considered a household of one. The assets of each spouse are considered only with respect to that spouse. In the case of assets owned jointly by both spouses, one half is considered with respect to each spouse.

(c) If a person is a minor and lives with his or her parents, the assets of the parents are not considered with respect to the eligibility of the minor.

§360.117. Cost Sharing.

(a) Monthly premiums. As a condition of establishing initial MBI eligibility and to remain eligible, a person must pay monthly premiums, as explained in this section, based on the amount of the person's countable earned and countable unearned income. A person may be exempt from paying monthly premiums as described in subsection (h) of this section.

(b) Countable earned income. For purposes of this section, countable earned income is as defined in 20 CFR §416.1110 and §416.1111, minus:

(1) earned income that is excluded by federal law, as explained in 20 CFR §416.1112(b); and

(2) mandatory payroll deductions for federal income tax, FICA, and retirement withholding.

(c) Countable unearned income. For purposes of this section, countable unearned income means unearned income, as defined in 20 CFR §§416.1120 - 416.1123, minus the exclusions and exemptions explained in 20 CFR §416.1124.

(d) Calculation of monthly premium. The monthly premium amount equals the amount of a person's countable unearned income for the month that exceeds the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefit rate for an individual, plus:

(1) $20 when monthly countable earned income is above 150% of the federal poverty level (FPIL) up to and including 185% of the FPIL;

(2) $25 when monthly countable earned income is above 185% of the FPIL up to and including 200% of the FPIL;

(3) $30 when monthly countable earned income is above 200% of the FPIL up to and including 250% of the FPIL; or

(4) $40 when monthly countable earned income is above 250% of the FPIL.

(e) Upper limit on monthly premiums. The upper limit for the total monthly premium per person is $500. If the unearned income premium amount plus the earned income premium amount equals or exceeds $500, then the total monthly premium remains at $500.

(f) Payment of monthly premiums to establish initial eligibility. If the calculation explained in subsection (d) of this section results in an amount greater than $0, HHSC sends the person a written notice of the person's potential eligibility as described in this subsection. The initial eligibility period begins with the earliest benefit month and continues through the end of the latest benefit month identified on the written notice of the person's potential eligibility. This subsection explains the procedures that are followed and the requirements the person must meet to establish eligibility under this section for any or all of the months within the initial eligibility period. The steps are as follows:

(1) HHSC determines that the person is potentially eligible if the person meets all eligibility requirements for MBI other than the requirements of this section.

(2) HHSC sends the person a written notice (the notice) of the person's potential eligibility. The notice identifies the earliest month of potential eligibility and the amount of the monthly premiums due for each month in the initial eligibility period.

(3) The notice also includes:

(A) the total amount in monthly premiums that must be paid to obtain MBI coverage for the entire initial eligibility period; and

(B) the deadline by which payment must be submitted.

(4) The person chooses whether to pay the monthly premiums for either the entire initial eligibility period or for only a portion of the initial eligibility period (according to the months during which the person desires MBI coverage).

(5) The person submits to HHSC, by the deadline stated in the notice, either the total amount due as explained in the notice or a lesser amount if the person is not seeking coverage for the entire initial eligibility period.

(6) If the person submits payment of less than the total amount due to obtain MBI coverage for the entire initial eligibility period, HHSC applies the amount submitted first to satisfy the monthly premium for the month following the month of the notice, then to each prior month of potential eligibility, in reverse chronological order. After this, if any amount remaining is less than the premium for a full month's coverage, HHSC refunds that amount to the person.

(7) HHSC notifies the person of MBI eligibility and of the beginning date of MBI coverage, based on the amount submitted by the person under paragraph (5) of this subsection.

(8) If no amount is submitted by the deadline stated in the notice, or if the amount submitted is less than one month's premium such that it is refunded to the person as explained in paragraph (6) of this subsection, HHSC denies the person MBI eligibility. A person denied under this paragraph must file a new application for MBI before eligibility can be established.

(g) Payment of monthly premiums after initial eligibility. Monthly premiums after a person establishes initial eligibility under subsection (f) of this section are due and payable to HHSC no later than the last calendar day of each month, and are applied to the following month's eligibility and coverage of MBI benefits. If a monthly premium payment that is due is not received by HHSC by the end of the month, after written notice, HHSC may terminate the person's MBI eligibility.

(h) An MBI recipient residing in a federally declared disaster area is exempt from paying monthly premiums for up to three months beginning with the month in which the disaster is declared. A recipient will only be exempt from paying monthly premiums once per disaster.

§360.119. Medical Effective Date.

Beginning with the three months before the application month, the eligibility effective date for MBI coverage is the first day of the first month in which a person meets all eligibility criteria, including the timely payment of monthly premiums as explained in §360.117 of this chapter (relating to Cost Sharing).

M-1200, Program Overview

Revision 22-3; Effective September 1, 2022

The MBI program is a Medicaid program for people with disabilities who are working and earning more than the allowable limits for regular Medicaid. MBI allows people with disabilities who are working to earn more income without the risk of losing vital health care coverage. The income limit is up to 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL). A person may have to pay a monthly premium as a condition of eligibility. The amount of the premium is determined on a sliding scale, based on the recipient’s earned and unearned income.

MBI recipients receive a Your Texas Benefits Medicaid ID card. If a recipient is eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, prescriptions are available through a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan.

All regular MEPD policies apply to this program except for the eligibility items specifically identified in this chapter. For example, citizenship and Texas residency are not addressed in this chapter. Therefore, follow regular MEPD policies for citizenship and Texas residency.

All eligibility requirements for this program must be verified. MBI is not a client-declaration program.

M-1300, MBI and Other Programs

M-1310 MBI and Home and Community-Based Services Waivers

Revision 16-2; Effective June 1, 2016

If a person is currently eligible for Medicaid Buy-In (MBI) and requests waiver services, the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) programs (such as STAR+PLUS Waiver) do not require a change in Medicaid type program for payment of services. Do not do a program transfer for ME-Waivers.

Do not calculate a copay for individuals who are MBI-eligible and receive waivers services. A person is not subject to a financial copay unless financial eligibility is determined using the 300% of Supplemental Security Income, Special Income Group limit, e.g., ME-Waivers.

M-1320 MBI and Medicare Savings Programs

Revision 11-4; Effective December 1, 2011

An MBI-eligible applicant/recipient can also have:

  • Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB)
  • Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB)

An MBI-eligible applicant/recipient cannot have:

  • Qualifying Individuals-1 (QI-1). The applicant/recipient must choose between MBI and QI-1.
  • Qualified Disabled Working Individuals

Note: Deeming of income and resources and support and maintenance applies to the Medicare Savings Program.