18.3.4 RMA Nonfinancial Eligibility

2. Have been in the United States 12 months or less for individuals who have a date of eligibility on or after 10/01/2021 or eight months or less for individuals with a date of eligibility on or before 09/30/2021;

5. Not be a full-time student (unless part of an individual’s employment plan); and

· As in MA policy, an applicant who does not provide a Social Security number may still be eligible for RMA if they apply for one and provide proof of the application. (See Medicaid Eligibility Handbook 10.1)

· Unlike RCA policy (see 18.2.4.8) participation in the Matching Grant program does not disqualify a refugee from RMA.

· A refugee cannot be required to apply for or receive RCA as a condition of eligibility for RMA.

18.3.4.1 Immigration Status

Use RCA immigration status requirements when determining eligibility for RMA. (See 18.2.4.1)

If a refugee is not able to verify his or her immigration status with paper documentation, attempt to verify the status using the web-based Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. Scan the information found using SAVE into ECF.

18.3.4.2 Date of Entry to the U.S.

Follow the eight- and 12-month time-limited eligibility policy for RCA when determining eligibility for RMA. (See 18.2.4.2) Like RCA, RMA benefits may need to be prorated depending on a refugee’s date of entry to the U.S.

EXAMPLE: A refugee’s date of entry to the U.S. is 8/14/2022 and his twelvemonth eligibility for Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance ends on 8/13/2023. If the refugee meets financial and nonfinancial eligibility criteria, the first month’s benefits should start on 8/14/2022 and the last month’s benefits should end on 8/13/2033.

18.3.4.3 Wisconsin Residency

To be eligible for RMA, a refugee must be a resident of Wisconsin. To determine if an individual is a resident of Wisconsin for RMA purposes, apply the Medicaid residency requirements listed below (these are also listed in Medicaid Eligibility Handbook 6.1).

1. Be physically present in Wisconsin. There is no required length of time the person has to have been physically present, and

Secondary migrant(s) to Wisconsin (refugees who move to Wisconsin from a different state) may be eligible for RMA. If there is reason to believe the secondary migrant was receiving RMA in the previous state, use appropriate verification request procedures to request verification that the RMA benefits in the other state have been terminated. (See Medicaid Eligibility Handbook 20.1 for general verification rules and Medicaid Eligibility Handbook 20.7 for the appropriate verification request timeline). While the applicant has primary responsibility for providing verification, you must assist him or her in obtaining verification if he or she has difficulty in obtaining it. (See Medicaid Eligibility Handbook 20.5) In such cases, contacting the worker in the other state would likely be the most efficient way of verifying the information.

Secondary migrants who were receiving RMA in another state must submit a medical assistance application in Wisconsin in order to be RMA-eligible. They are subject to the same financial and nonfinancial eligibility criteria as other refugees, including the twelve-month eligibility time-limit, which begins on their date of eligibility (e.g., date of arrival, date asylum granted, etc.).

EXAMPLE: A refugee arrives from overseas to Minnesota on June 1, 2022, and then moves from Minnesota to Wisconsin on 7/20/2022 and submits a refugee medical assistance application on 7/24/2022. During the interview, the refugee states that she was receiving RMA in Minnesota. The worker pends the case for proof that Minnesota RMA benefits have ended. The verification is received timely and shows that Minnesota RMA benefits ended on 7/31/2022. If the refugee is otherwise eligible, the worker should issue RMA benefits beginning on 8/1/2022. The last day of RMA eligibility would be determined by applying the twelve-month time limit to the original date of arrival to the United States, in this case 5/31/2023.

18.3.4.4 Ineligibility for Medicaid/BadgerCare Plus

When a healthcare request is made, determine eligibility for all MA subprograms, including BadgerCare Plus, first. If the applicant is not eligible for any of these subprograms, then determine eligibility for RMA.

Note: If a refugee who is receiving Medical Assistance becomes ineligible for these programs because of earnings from employment, transfer the refugee onto RMA without a formal eligibility determination.

18.3.4.5 Not Be Enrolled as Full-Time Student in Higher Education

A refugee who is enrolled as a full-time student in an institution of higher education is not eligible for RMA unless the enrollment is approved as part of his or her individual employability plan.

18.3.4.6 Provide Name of Resettlement Agency

Refugees must provide the name of the resettlement agency (Volag) that is sponsoring them. While the vast majority of refugees are resettled by the Volag, keep in mind that some may not have this formal sponsor relationship with a Volag. Secondary migrant(s), for example, would have ended their formal relationship with their original sponsoring Volag when they moved out of state.