Code of Maine Rules
10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
144 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - GENERAL
Chapter 332 - MAINECARE ELIGIBILITY MANUAL
Part 2 - BASIC ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Section 144-332-2-4 - RESIDENCY

Universal Citation: 10 ME Code Rules ยง 144-332-2-4

Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024

Each individual must be a resident of Maine. A resident is an individual living in the State of Maine with the intent to remain indefinitely.

An individual who is in Maine temporarily (e.g., visitor, tourist, or student) is not a resident. The individual should apply to their actual state of residence for Medicaid.

If the individual is living in Maine and has entered the State with a job commitment or seeking a job (even if only a temporary job, e.g., migrant workers), the individual is a Maine resident.

When two or more states cannot resolve which state is the state of residence, the state where the individual is physically located is the state of residence for Medicaid purposes.

Eligibility cannot be denied or terminated because:

I. An individual has not resided in the State for a specified period;

II. The individual did not establish residence before entering a medical institution; or

III. An individual is temporarily or involuntarily absent from the State, provided the individual intends to return once the purpose of the absence has been accomplished, unless another state has determined the individual is a resident there.

IV. An individual does not have a fixed address (e.g., individual is homeless).

Eligible individuals who move out of Maine, intend to remain out of state, and are applying for Medicaid in that state, remain eligible until the other state determines eligibility.

Section 4.1: Children

For purposes of residency a child is any individual under the age of 21. A dependent child is a resident of the state where the parent/caretaker relative resides. An independent child is a resident of the state where they reside with an intent to remain indefinitely.

An individual under age 21 who is a full-time student in the State of Maine will not be considered a resident of Maine if each of the following conditions exist:

I. Neither of the individual's parents reside in the State of Maine;

II. The individual is claimed as a tax dependent by someone who resides in a state other than Maine; and

III. The individual is applying for coverage on their own behalf.

Section 4.2: Title IV-E of the Social Security Act

In any situation where a child is eligible for a Title IV-E payment (including the Federal Adoption Assistance Program) from another state, Medicaid determines the state in which the child is physically living as the state of residency (See Part 3, Section 3.). Children who are receiving services under the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) and who are not receiving Title IV-E payments from another state are not considered residents of the State of Maine.

Section 4.3: Residents of Medical Institutions

I. If a state arranges for an individual to be placed in an institution located in another state, the state making the placement is the individual's state of residence, regardless of the individual's indicated intent or ability to indicate intent.

II. For any institutionalized individual who became incapable of indicating intent before age 21, the state of residence is that of the individual's parents, or legal guardian. If the parents reside in separate states and there is no appointed legal guardian, the state of residence is that of the parent applying for Medicaid on the individual's behalf.

III. For an institutionalized individual who became incapable of indicating intent on or after age 21, the state of residence is the state in which the individual was living when the individual became incapable of indicating intent.

IV. The state where the institution is located is the individual's state of residence unless that state determines that the individual is a resident of another state by applying the rules under Paragraph I or II of this section.

V. For any other institutionalized individual, age 21 or over, the state of residence is the state where the individual is living with the intention to remain for an indefinite period of time.

Section 4.4: SSI and State Supplement Recipients

An individual who is receiving SSI or State Supplemental payments is considered a resident of the state making the payment.

Section 4.5: Ability to Indicate Intent

An individual is considered incapable of indicating intent if:

I. The individual has an I.Q. of 49 or less, or has a mental age of seven or less based on tests acceptable to the Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS);

II. The individual has been judged legally incompetent; or

III. Medical or other acceptable documentation supports a finding that the individual is incapable of indicating intent.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maine may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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