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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Information Memorandum |
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No. TANF-ACF-IM-2004-01 |
Date: |
TO: |
State and Tribal Agencies Administering the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program and Other Interested Parties. |
SUBJECT: |
Disregard of Transitional Drug Subsidies under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. |
PURPOSE: |
To inform State and Tribal agencies of a new statutory disregard of drug discounts and transitional assistance available to certain Medicare beneficiaries. |
REFERENCES: |
Section 1860D-31(g)(6) of the Social Security Act |
BACKGROUND |
The President signed the Medicare Prescription Drug,
Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) on |
POLICY: |
Section 1860D-31(g)(6) of the Social Security Act clarifies the interaction between the drug discount card/transitional assistance and other Federal assistance programs: “The availability of negotiated prices or transitional assistance
under this Section shall not be treated as benefits or otherwise taken into
account in determining an individual’s eligibility for, or the amount of
benefits under, any other Federal program.” Under this provision, neither the discounts nor the subsidy should be counted as income or otherwise taken into account either in determining whether an individual is eligible for assistance or in determining the amount of such assistance. As such, this disregard should be applied in all cases where the drug discount card/transitional assistance might affect TANF eligibility or benefit amounts. |
INQUIRIES: |
Inquiries should be directed to the appropriate Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regional Administrator. |
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