Continued Medical Benefits (CMB)

Policy 340:10-3-75

Benefits:

Minimum of 6 months (up to 12 months) medical benefits when case closed on Increased Earnings (03)

**Only 4 months medical benefits when case closed on increased child/spousal support. (06)**

No other reason codes allowed for Continued Medical Benefits (CMB). If the TANF closure is for any reason other than Increased Earnings (03) or Child / Spousal Support (6), the medical closes with the TANF closure.

Requirements:

• Child must remain in the home
• Caretaker relative must remain the same
• Must remain in the State of Oklahoma
• Must have 3 months of TANF benefits in last 6 month period  prior to  TANF closure
• No income test for the first six months.

After Continued Medical Benefits have been certified (see related article “How to Close a TANF Case on Earned Income”), the participant will receive a notice of continued medical benefits and transitional child care services. The notice explains that the family may continue to be eligible for CMB for up to 12 months, but eligibility will be reviewed approximately every 3 months. It states that they will be asked to report income verification, child care costs, and family members living in your home.

Note: The notice also addresses “Transitional Child Care Services.” Transitional child care services are processed the same as regular child care services in the county office.

Within the next four months, the CMB participant will receive a computer-generated notice to report and form CM-5 in the mail. It will request three specific months of income verification. The worker will review the case for that time period to determine if the family will continue to be eligible for CMB. As stated in policy, the actual CM-5 form is preferred, but not mandatory to complete the review as long as all eligibility factors have been verified.

Policy 340-10-3-75 ITS #6 explains procedures for updating CMB status in IMS.