WAC 388-513-1345 Determining disregarded income for institutional or hospice services under the medically needy (MN) program



This section describes income the department disregards when determining a client’s eligibility for institutional or hospice services under the MN program. The department considers disregarded available when determining a client’s participation in the cost of care.   

1. The department disregards the following income amounts in the following order:
   1. Income that is not reasonably anticipated, or is received infrequently or irregularly, when such income does not exceed:
      1. Twenty dollars per month if unearned; or
      2. Ten dollars per month if earned.
   2.   The first twenty dollars per month of earned or unearned income, unless the income paid to a client is:
      1.      Based on need; and
      2.     Totally or partially funded by the federal government or a private agency;
2. For a client who is related to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program as described in WAC 182-512-0050 (1),the first sixty-five dollars per month of earned income not excluded under WAC 388-513-1340, plus one-half of the remainder.
3. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits designated for:
   1. The veteran's dependent when determining LTC eligibility for the veteran. The VA dependent allowance is considered countable income to the dependent unless it is paid due to unusual medical expenses (UME);
   2. Unusual medical expenses, aid and attendance allowance, special monthly compensation (SMC) and housebound allowance, with the exception described in subsection (4).
4. Benefits described in subsection (3)(b) for a client who receives long-term care services are excluded when determining eligibility, but are considered available as a third-party resource (TPR) when determining the amount the client contributes in the cost of care.
5. Income the Social Security Administration withholds from SSA Title II benefits for the recovery of an SSI overpayment.