(1) Supplemental security income (SSI) is a federal cash benefit administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) under the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1381-1383f. The SSI program replaces state programs for the aged, blind and disabled individuals beginning January 1974. An individual who received state assistance in December 1973 who became eligible for SSI in January 1974 is considered a grandfathered client by the medicaid agency, and a mandatory income level (MIL) client by SSI. The individual must continue to meet the definition of blind or disabled that was in effect under the state plan in December 1973. See chapter 182-500 WAC for additional definitions.

(2) An essential person is someone needed in the home to care for an SSI recipient. An essential person is eligible for categorically needy (CN) coverage as long as he or she has lived continuously with the eligible person since January 1974.

(3) An ineligible spouse is the spouse of an SSI recipient who is not eligible for SSI-related CN coverage. An ineligible spouse must have his or her eligibility for Washington apple health (WAH) determined separately under WAC 182-519-0100.

(4) When an individual receives SSI, the agency accepts the SSA's determination of medicaid entitlement. The individual is eligible for CN coverage without submitting an additional application as long as he or she:

(a) Remains entitled to SSI;

(b) Is no longer entitled to SSI, but the SSA is in the process of determining eligibility under the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1619(b); or

(c) Currently has 1619(b) status as described in WAC 182-512-0880(3).

(5) An SSI recipient may be terminated from CN coverage when he or she:

(a) Does not provide the agency with information necessary for the agency to determine if he or she has other medical insurance; or

(b) Does not assign the right to recover insurance funds to the agency as required in WAC 182-503-0540.

(6) CN coverage eligibility continues if the SSA stops an individual's SSI for one of the following reasons:

(a) The individual's countable income exceeds the SSI income standard due solely to the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) under WAC 182-512-0880(1);

(b) The individual is a "deemed" eligible SSI recipient on the basis of eligibility for a special income disregard under WAC 182-512-0880; or

(c) The individual has an appeal of an SSA termination pending which has not yet resulted in a final determination.

(7) If an individual's SSI stops due to an SSA determination that the individual is no longer disabled, and any appeal of this determination has resulted in a final decision, the agency:

(a) Redetermines eligibility for all other WAH programs that are not based on receipt of SSI; and

(b) Continues CN coverage until the agency completes the redetermination process described in WAC 182-504-0125.

(8) If an individual's SSI stops for a reason not addressed elsewhere in this section, the agency considers the individual to meet disability requirements through the SSA's original disability review date. The agency:

(a) Redetermines eligibility for other WAH programs, which may or may not be based on disability; and

(b) Continues CN coverage until the agency completes the redetermination process in WAC 182-504-0125.