1. Income: To qualify for the Medical Access Program, a person's total income must be below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

· To qualify for the Medical Access Program, a person's total income (including spouse's income and that of working dependant children) must be below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. The Federal Poverty Level is an amount that is established each year by the Federal Department of Human Services, and defines the line of poverty in a given year for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. This formula for the federal poverty level is based on current gross income and factors in the number of persons in the household. (For current Poverty Levels, please see the Federal Department of Human Services)

· The number of persons in a household should reflect all dependant persons as well (this may include dependant children, dependant adults, students claimed as dependants, dependant stepchildren and grandchildren if they are claimed on taxes that year). This number does not include aunts, uncles, roommates, non-legally married partners (unless the incomes of those partners are joined).

· Any money that comes into the household is counted included in determining household income. Examples of income include; earned income (employment and/or self employment), rental property, interest on investments, alimony payments, child support, Social Security disability or SSI disability, etc. MCAC uses gross income numbers and does not subtract expenses or taxes from the household's income. Self employment income may include allowable Federal deductions (please view the lower right hand number of the 1040 form for self employment income including allowable Federal deductions).

· All applicants are required to file a Medicaid application as part of the enrollment process. They are also required to follow through with the FIA process for Medicaid determination. A two-way release of information will be signed so that MCAC and FIA can communicate in order to insure these patient responsibilities are being fulfilled.

· Patients who meet MCAC eligibility requirements will be given or mailed a temporary MCAC card while the FIA Medicaid eligibility determination process is being completed. If a patient is subsequently enrolled in Medicaid, the physician will bill Medicaid for services delivered from the date of Medicaid eligibility, and the patient will be disenrolled from the MAP.

· Patients who are determined to be ineligible for Medicaid by FIA and continue to meet the eligibility requirements for MCAC will continue to be active in the Medical Access Program, and their file will be reviewed at six months and 1 year for continued eligibility.