701-1 Application Effective Dates

Effective Date:  February 1, 2012

Previous Policy

1. New CHIP Applicants

1. CHIP enrollment begins the first day of the application month.

• See Section 602 for exceptions.

• In the case of the Four Day Grace Period coverage, the effective date of enrollment begins four days prior to the date the completed application is received.  See Section 602-1.

• See Section 102-1 for more information about application dates.

2. A pregnant woman who is in her third trimester of pregnancy may apply for CHIP for her unborn child even if she has no other children. The effective date is the date of birth. See Section 230-1 for further information.

3. When the applicant is a member of a family who was closed because they did not pay their quarterly premium, if they have been closed for less than one year, to be eligible, the family must pay any outstanding premiums.  It does not matter whether or not the applicant was included in the coverage when it was closed.  See Section 601-2 #3 for further information.  

4. If the end of the 90-day sanction period ends in the month of application, or by the end of the following month, begin the eligibility on the 91st day.

• If it does not end by the end of the month following the application month, the eligibility agency denies the application. See section 602.

2. Medicaid Applications

Consider CHIP for any individual who applies for Medicaid but is ineligible.  A new application is not required.  The CHIP effective date is the first day of the month  the application is received. See section 102-1 for more information about the application date and 602-1 for the Four Day Grace Period.

3. Medicaid Closures

Consider CHIP eligibility in the following situations.  A new application is not required.  

1. You are closing a Medicaid case and the eligibility will end on the last day the month.  The effective date of coverage for CHIP is the first day of the month immediately following the Medicaid closure.

2. A Medicaid recipient reports a change, returns requested verifications by the due date, and you determine that the client is no longer eligible and the Medicaid case will be closed the last day of the month.  The effective date of coverage for CHIP is the first day of the month immediately following the Medicaid closure.