121 INTERVIEWS SR 02-24, 10/02 (AAM-A)

Interviews are official and confidential discussions of household circumstances. The worker must do all of the following:

• evaluate all available information, including any existing case record;

• resolve any unclear or incomplete information;

• inform individuals of their rights and responsibilities; and

• provide information about program policies and procedures.

Conduct a personal interview:

• prior to each initial eligibility determination;

 Exceptions:

- Do not require a personal interview for New Hampshire Housing Authority (NHHA) residents, or individuals who have been assisted with the application process by a trained volunteer counselor from Health Insurance Counseling, Education, and Assistance Services (HICEAS), using Form 800Q, Assisted Application For Help With Medicare Costs For Medicare Beneficiaries, to apply for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Special Low Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), Special Low Income Medicare Beneficiary at 135% of federal poverty income guidelines (SLMB135), Special Low Income Medicare Beneficiary at 175% of federal poverty income guidelines (SLMB175), or Qualified Working and Disabled Individual (QDWI) programs.

- Do not require a personal interview for individuals reapplying for In and Out medical assistance because they want to change from a one- to a six-month spend down period, if the reapplication is made within 6 months of the previous eligibility interview.

- If the information provided for an initial determination of eligibility establishes that the individual is ineligible, the worker may deny the case without an interview.

• at regularly scheduled redetermination of eligibility;

 Exceptions:

- QMB, QDWI, SLMB, or SLMB135 redeterminations;

- SLMB175 individuals do not have regularly scheduled redeterminations since eligibility always ceases no later than the end of the calendar year regardless of application date, and they must reapply for SLMB175 for each subsequent year of coverage;

- individuals in independent living arrangements, with or without related food stamp cases, may be selected to receive mail redetermination Form 800R Review for Continued Eligibility for Financial, Medical, and Food Stamp Benefits;

- individuals residing in nursing facilities or swing-bed hospitals who receive nursing facility care or who are only eligible for medical services other than payment for nursing facility care may, at the discretion of the District Office, use Form 771a, Nursing Home Redetermination; and

• as a result of reported changes, or the discovery of conflicting information regarding eligibility criteria.

Waiver of the personal interview does not exempt the individual from the verification requirements. Arrange for the completion and return of Form 800R and required verification by the date specified on Form 808, Proof Needed to Determine Your Assistance, if applicable. Document in the case record why the personal interview was waived.