TITLE 40
Human services
CHAPTER 40-8
Medical Assistance
SECTION 40-8-3
§ 40-8-3 Eligibility requirements.
Medical care benefits shall be provided under this chapter to at least any
person:
(1) Who has attained the age of sixty-five (65) years; or
(2) Who has no vision or whose vision is so defective as to
prevent performance of ordinary activities for which eyesight is essential; or
(3) Who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and who is
permanently and totally disabled; or
(4) Who is under the age of eighteen (18) years, and who has
been deprived of parental support or care by reason of the death, continued
absence from the home, unemployment or physical or mental incapacity of a
parent (called hereafter "dependent child") and who is living with a relative
in a place of residence maintained by one or more of such relatives as his or
her or their own home, or is in foster boarding care; or
(5) The relative as defined in subsection (8) of §
40-8-2, with whom any such dependent child is living; provided such person:
(i) Is a resident of this state; and
(ii) Is not receiving public assistance under the provisions
of § 40-5.1-9(b) or § 40-6-27; and
(iii) Is not an inmate of a public institution other than as
a patient in a medical institution; and
(iv) Is not a patient in an institution for tuberculosis or
mental disease, unless the person has attained the age of sixty-five (65)
years; provided, however, that this clause shall become void and of no effect
if and when legislation enacted by the congress of the United States shall
become effective providing for payments for medical care on behalf of persons
who have not attained the age of sixty-five (65) years who are patients in an
institution for tuberculosis or mental disease; and
(v) Has insufficient income and resources. The department
shall establish income and resource rules, regulations, and limits in
accordance with Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §
1396 et seq., as applicable to the medically needy only applicants and
recipients. The income limits established by the department must be more than
the AFDC standard in effect on July 16, 1996 under the Rhode Island state plan
approved under part A of Title IV of the federal Social Security Act but shall
not be more than one hundred thirty-three and one-third percent (1331/3%) of
the AFDC standard in effect on July 16, 1996 under the Rhode Island state plan
approved under part A of Title IV of the federal Social Security Act; provided,
however, that subject to the maximum percentage increase allowable under §
1931(b)(2)(B), the department shall increase the income limits on July 1, 1999
by six and six tenths percent (6.6%), and on January 1, of each year commencing
in the year 2000 by a percentage equal to the annual federal adjustment
percentage as determined under the provisions of Title XVI of the federal
Social Security Act. The department shall establish resource limits equal to
two thousand dollars ($2,000) for an individual and three thousand dollars
($3,000) for a family. Provided, however, the department shall apply to the
United States Department of Health and Human Services for a waiver relating to
application of the reduced resource limit, and subject to the granting of the
waiver by the secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human
Services, the resource limit shall be applied to all applicants who: (A) become
eligible for benefits under this chapter on or after the effective date of this
amendment and (B) who were not receiving benefits under this chapter prior to
July 1, 1993. In the event the secretary does not approve the waiver request,
the current department regulations relating to resource limits shall remain in
effect for all eligible beneficiaries.
For the purposes of this subsection a vehicle necessary to
transport a family member with a disability, where the vehicle is specially
equipped to meet the specific needs of the person with a disability or if the
vehicle is a special type of vehicle that makes it possible to transport the
person with the disability shall not be counted as resources of the applicants
and recipients.
History of Section.
(P.L. 1966, ch. 266, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 40-10.1-3; Reorg. Plan No. 1,
1970; P.L. 1978, ch. 249, § 1; P.L. 1983, ch. 3, art. 3, § 1; P.L.
1989, ch. 53, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 65, art. 27, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch.
138, art. 21, § 2; P.L. 1996, ch. 129, § 19; P.L. 1996, ch. 131,
§ 19; P.L. 1996, ch. 132, § 19; P.L. 1996, ch. 133, § 19; P.L.
1998, ch. 72, § 2; P.L. 1999, ch. 31, art. 14, § 1.)
