Last page edit 04/15/08

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Medical Assistance - Families and Children (MA-FAC) Summary (Maryland)

Name   Medical Assistance - Families and Children (MA-FAC) [Medical Assistance Overview, Dept of Health and Mental Hygene ]
Non-Financial Eligibility Conditions   Your household includes a child under 21 and a caretaker relative
Income Eligibility Conditions   Your income must be below the  is "medically needy income level" for your household size. You may be eligible if the medical expenses that you owe are very high. This is called a "spend down".
Asset Eligibility Conditions   To receive benefits, your assets must be at or below the following amounts.
1 $2,500
2 $3,000
3 $3,100

They do not count your house, your car or any property that is not available to you.
Benefit   Enrollment in Managed Care Organization; pays for hospital, doctors, prescriptions, etc., according to terms of the managed care plan.
Apply At   Department of Social Services.  Find your local DSS Office

Always apply even if you think you are not eligible.
Appeals

  
  • You can appeal any denial, termination, or reduction of benefits
  • Appeals must be filed in writing at the DSS office.  It is best to file it in person and to get a receipt showing that you filed the appeal.
  • Appeals must be filed within 90 days of the action, or you cannot appeal.
  • If you file within 10 days of  the date on the notice that your benefits are being terminated or reduced, they will continue until the decision.  If you do not appeal within 10 days, the termination or reduction will happen.
    •
    Source of the Funds   State and federal
    You Also Would Be Eligible For   You may be eligible for other state benefits.
    Sources of Law

    		  

    State Regulations: In the Medical Assistance Program, the Maryland regulations are by far the most important source of law.  Rarely are the federal regulations, the state statute, and the federal statute useful in understanding the law.

    • Eligibility: COMAR 10.09.24.00 to 10.09.24.9999 - Covering financial and non-financial eligibility conditions. (Scroll down to 10.09.24 Medical Assistance Eligibility)

    • Coverage: The kinds of medical conditions and medical treatments that are covered by Medical Assistance is very long and very detailed.  Generally, the regulations about what is and what is not covered are in COMAR 10.09.01.00 to 10.09.74.9999

    • Appeals: COMAR 10.01.04.00 to 10.01.04.9999.  (Scroll down to "10.01.04 Fair Hearing Appeals Under the Maryland State Medical Assistance Program" and click it to open the list of regulations.

    Federal Regulations: Generally - 42 CFR Chapter IV The specific part of the federal regulations that are most likely to be of some value to Medical Assistance applicants or recipients are listed below.

    Federal Law: 42 U.S.C.  §1396a – 1396v

    State Laws: Md. Ann Code Health General §15-101 to §15-135 

    State Policy Materials
    Other   Frequently Asked Questions about Medical Assistance - Answers from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

    Medically Needy Income Level - Eligibility limit by household size

    1 $350
    2 $392
    3 $434
    4 $475
    5 $521
    6 $573
    7 $645
    8 $709
    Do these numbers change?
    Source: Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN), updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).

    Last legal review 4/15/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)
    Is this legal advice? This site offers legal information, not legal advice.  We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and to clearly explain your options.  However we do not provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual circumstances. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.  See our section on Finding Legal Help.

    About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders.  In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

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