Library: Policy

317:35-6-38. Hospital presumptive eligibility (HPE)

Revised 9-12-22

(a) General. HPE is a limited period of SoonerCare eligibility for individuals who are categorically related to certain Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) eligibility groups listed in OAC 317:35-6-38(a)(1)(A)(i) through (vi) and are also determined by a qualified hospital [see OAC 317:35-6-38(a)(2)(A) through (L) for the conditions of a qualified hospital], on the basis of preliminary information provided by the applicant on a completed HPE application, to be eligible for SoonerCare services. The rules in this Section apply only to those individuals applying for, or qualified hospitals determining eligibility under, the HPE program.

(1) Individuals eligible to participate in the HPE program. To be eligible to participate in the HPE program, an individual must be categorically related to a MAGI eligibility group (see OAC 317:35-5-2 for categorical relationship criteria) and also meet the income standard and non-medical eligibility specified in this Section.

(A) MAGI eligibility groups. The following MAGI eligibility groups are eligible to have a presumptive eligibility (PE) determination made by a qualified hospital participating in the HPE program:

(i) Children;

(ii) Pregnant women;

(iii) Parent/caretaker relatives;

(iv) Expansion adults;

(v) Former foster care children;

(vi) Breast and Cervical Cancer (BCC) treatment program; and

(vii) SoonerPlan family planning program.

(B) Income standard. The income that is counted in determining PE for an individual is that individual's household income. The income limit for the MAGI eligibility groups covered under the HPE program is the same as defined in OAC 317:35-6-39(b)(8) and is listed on the HPE application. The calculation of countable household income for an individual covered under the HPE program is the same as OAC 317:35-6-39, except that, in determining the individual's household composition, only the MAGI household composition non-filer rules listed under OAC 317:35-6-43 apply for all individuals applying for the HPE program regardless of whether or not the individual is a tax filer, plans on filing taxes, or is a tax dependent.

(C) Non-medical eligibility requirements. Individuals covered under the HPE program must also meet the non-medical eligibility requirements described in OAC 317:35-5-25.

(D) Pregnant women covered under the HPE program. Coverage for pregnant women who are covered under the HPE program is limited to ambulatory prenatal care only, and the number of PE periods that may be authorized for pregnant women is one (1) per pregnancy. Pregnant women who may be covered for the benefit of the unborn child(ren) under Title XXI are not eligible for the HPE program.

(E) Other individuals covered under the HPE program. Coverage for other individuals listed under OAC 317:35-6-38(a)(1)(A)(i) through (vi) who are covered under the HPE program, except for pregnant women, is the same as covered under the State Plan. The number of PE periods that may be authorized is one (1) period every three hundred sixty-five (365) days beginning on the date the individual is enrolled in HPE.

(2) Qualified hospital. The decision that a hospital is qualified to make PE determinations is made by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. In order to participate in the HPE program and make PE determinations, a qualified hospital must:

(A) Meet all the conditions of an eligible provider under OAC 317:30-5-40;

(B) Elect to participate in the HPE program by:

(i) Completing and submitting a HPE Statement of Intent and Memorandum of Understanding to the OHCA and agreeing to all the terms and conditions of the HPE program;

(ii) Amending its current contract with the OHCA to include participation in the HPE program;

(D) Assign and designate hospital employees to make PE determinations. The term "authorized hospital employee(s) (AHE)" means all individuals making PE determinations on behalf of a hospital participating in the HPE program. The AHE must meet the following conditions:

(i) Be an employee of the hospital (i.e. the AHE may not be a third party contractor);

(ii) Attend, complete, and pass the HPE program training course provided and assessed by the OHCA;

(iii) The AHE certificate of HPE course completion must be kept in the worker's file at the hospital and must be made available to the OHCA upon request;

(iv) Follow state and federal privacy and security requirements regarding patient confidentiality;

(v) Agree to abide by all the rules and guidelines of the HPE program established by the OHCA under this Section.

(E) Notify the OHCA of any changes in the AHE's employment status or in the designation of that individual as the hospital's AHE;

(F) Abide by the rules and regulations of the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act as outlined in OAC 317:30-3-4.1;

(G) Keep internal records of all individuals for whom a PE determination was made and make those records available to the OHCA upon request;

(H) Agree to submit all completed HPE applications and PE determinations to the OHCA within five (5) days of the PE determination;

(I) Notify the applicant in writing, or in cases where the HPE application was made on behalf of a child, notify the child's parent or caretaker of the PE determination outcome and provide and explain to eligible members the "HPE Program Policy and Enrollment" form;

(J) Assist HPE applicants with the completion of a full SoonerCare application within fifteen (15) days of the HPE application submission to the OHCA;

(K) Agree to adhere to the processes and procedures established by the OHCA regarding the operation and oversight of the HPE program; and

(L) Cooperate with the OHCA regarding audit and quality control reviews on PE determinations the hospital makes. The agency may terminate the HPE agreement with the hospital if the hospital does not meet the standards and quality requirements set by the OHCA.

(3) Limited hospital PE determinations. The agency limits the PE determinations that a hospital may make to only those eligibility groups described in OAC 317:35-6-38(a)(1)(A) using the MAGI methodology rules established for the HPE program. Additionally, PE determinations made for individuals categorically related to the Breast and Cervical Cancer (BCC) treatment program are limited to qualified hospitals that are also qualified entities through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP).

(b) General provisions of the HPE program. The agency provides SoonerCare coverage to eligible individuals covered during a period of PE.

(1) PE period. The PE period begins on the date a qualified hospital determines an individual to be eligible under the HPE program. A qualified hospital has five (5) days to notify the agency of its PE determination. The PE period ends with the earlier of:

(A) The day the agency receives the SoonerCare application form as described in OAC 317:35-5-60 and an eligibility determination is made by the agency; or

(B) If a SoonerCare application is not received, the last day of the month following the month in which the PE determination was made.

(2) Agency approval of PE. When the OHCA receives a timely and completed HPE application, a case number and, if needed, SoonerCare member ID is assigned to the member by the agency. Qualified hospitals will be able to review member enrollment and eligibility, once those members have been entered into the system by the OHCA, for claims billing and member eligibility verification.

(3) Incomplete HPE applications. Upon receiving a HPE application, the OHCA reviews it for completeness and correctness. The HPE application is considered incomplete if it is not filled out in its entirety (e.g., the applicant's first or last name is not provided on the application) or if the application is not filed timely with the OHCA. When the HPE application is determined to be incomplete, the HPE application is returned to the AHE or the HPE program administrator at the qualified hospital to correct the application errors or amend the HPE application. To maintain the original PE certification period, the qualified hospital must return the completed or corrected HPE application to the agency within five (5) working days.

(4) Applicant appeal. The HPE applicant cannot appeal the PE determination made by a qualified hospital or the expiration date of the PE period.

(5) Applicant ineligibility. Applicants ineligible for the HPE program are individuals who do not meet the HPE criteria, individuals who have previously been enrolled in the HPE program within the last three hundred sixty-five (365) days, and individuals currently enrolled in SoonerCare. Individuals currently enrolled in SoonerPlan family planning are not eligible for HPE family planning services, but may be eligible for other programs under HPE. When the OHCA receives a HPE application from a qualified hospital for an ineligible applicant [e.g., the applicant has been previously enrolled in the HPE program within the last three hundred sixty-five (365) days], the OHCA will disenroll the individual from the HPE program immediately and notify the hospital of the error. The hospital will be responsible for following up with that individual to notify them of their disenrollment from the HPE program. If the applicant is not currently enrolled into SoonerCare, the applicant may submit a full SoonerCare application and receive a full eligibility determination by the OHCA. HPE services provided to ineligible applicants, other than persons currently enrolled into SoonerCare or SoonerPlan family planning program, may not be eligible for reimbursement by the OHCA.