405 IAC 2-9-4 Resource eligibility of applicant or member

Sec. 4. (a) An applicant or member is subject to resource definitions and exclusions as provided in 405 IAC 2-3-14. (b) The resources of the applicant's or member's parents are excluded. (c) In addition to that property required to be excluded under subsections (a) and (b), the following property is exempt from consideration: (1) Up to twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), as approved by the central office of the family and social services administration, for an independence and self-sufficiency account defined in IC 12-15-41-2(3). A resource disregard for this purpose will be approved if the applicant or member submits a plan in writing to the office that describes specifically the goods or services, or both, that he or she intends to purchase that will increase, maintain, or retain his or her employability or independence. The items must be reasonable in terms of the applicant's or member's ability to achieve a stated goal that is focused on the individual's employability by removing barriers. Items for personal recreational use will not be approved. A request to save money without specifying goods or services to be purchased within an achievable period of time will not be approved. An approved account will be reviewed by the local office of family and children caseworker at each annual redetermination. If the terms of the original approved account have not been met, the member will be required to submit an updated request to the caseworker within thirty (30) days of receiving written notification from the caseworker that such an update is required. If the member fails to submit the update, the disregard will be disapproved and resource eligibility will be redetermined without it. The caseworker will forward updates to the central office for approval. At any time during the period of eligibility under the Medicaid for employees with disabilities program, the member may submit an update requesting an adjustment in the approved amount. Approval will not be given for any services that are available to the member under Medicaid or any other publicly funded program. (2) Retirement accounts held by the applicant or member or his or her spouse are exempt. This includes Individual Retirement Accounts, Keogh Plans, and 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans, and any employer-related retirement account.