TO:All IV-D Agentsphtl No. 230

TO:All IV-D AgentsPHTL No. 230

StaffMTL No. 586

Division Of Child Support

Division Of Service Regions

Child Support Section

FROM:Dietra Paris

Commissioner

DATE:October 16, 2001

SUBJECT:Revised Facts about the Child Support Program for K-TAP and Kinship Care Recipients (Form CS-333) and Procedural Instructions

Issuance of Facts about the Child Support Program for Medicaid Only and K-Chip Recipients (Form CS-333.3) and Procedural Instructions

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA or Welfare Reform) separated or delinked eligibility for Medicaid benefits from eligibility for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits, i. e., Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP) benefits. Separation of Medicaid and K-TAP allows families to choose to receive Medicaid benefits or K-TAP benefits or both. The separation of Medicaid benefits and K-TAP benefits allows custodial parents to receive Medicaid without receiving K-TAP, thereby allowing custodial parents to preserve their time-limited K-TAP eligibility.

The name of the CS-333has been changed from Facts about the Child Support Program to Facts about the Child Support Program for K-TAP and Kinship Care Recipients. Kinship Care has been included because K-TAP and Kinship Care are both funded by the TANF block grant. The CS-333 provides information about the Child Support Program to applicants for and recipients of K-TAP benefits and Kinship Care benefits. Medicaid Only information has been removed from the CS-333.

The CS-333.3 has been created to provide information about the Child Support Program to applicants for and recipients of Medicaid Only benefits and Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (K-CHIP) benefits. Both programs are funded with Medicaid money. Low-income families who do not qualify for public assistance may qualify for K-Chip benefits.

As a condition of eligibility for Medicaid Only or K-CHIP benefits, custodial parents are required to cooperate with the child support agency in the establishment and/or enforcement of medical support. Medical support usually is provided in the form of heath insurance coverage for the children.

PHTL No. 220/MTL No. 586

October 16, 2001

Page Two

Medicaid recipients who fail to cooperate in the establishment and/or enforcement of medical support, unless exempted for good cause, can be penalized with the loss of eligibility for Medicaid. However, Medicaid coverage for dependent children and women who are pregnant continues even when Medicaid recipients do not cooperate.

Medicaid Only and K-CHIP recipients may elect, but are not required, to receive full child support services. For example, Medicaid only and K-CHIP recipients may choose to have child support established, collected, and enforced.

THIS TRANSMITTAL LETTER IS TO BE SAVED AND FILED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE AS IT EXPLAINS CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE HANDBOOK/MANUAL.

The Child Support Forms Sections of the Prosecutor’s Handbook and the Manual Of Forms are to be updated as shown below.

Instructions for Handbook Maintenance

RemoveInsert

Facts About the Child Support Facts About the Child Support

Program (Form CS-333) (Rev. 5/00)Program for K-TAP and Kinship

and Procedural Instructions Care Recipients (Form CS-333)

(7/16/99)(Rev. 8/01), and Procedural

Instructions (10/16/01)

Facts About the Child Support

Program for Medicaid Only and

K-CHIP Recipients (Form CS-333.3)

(8/01) and Procedural Instructions

(10/16/01)

Instructions for Manual Maintenance