DRA redux: verifying citizenship and identity

The 2005 Federal Deficit Reduction Act requires Medicaid recipients who state they are US citizens or nationals to prove both citizenship/national status and identity. This one-time verification is required during either the initial application process for new applicants or the MassHealth annual eligibility redetermination process for members who have not previously provided the documentation.

MassHealth uses electronic data matches with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles to confirm the identity of applicants who have state-issued identification. Now an automated match process with the Massachusetts Department of Vital Statistics is also complete and can verify citizenship for people born in-state.

In order for MassHealth to access birth records information, Massachusetts-born applicants must give consent for the data match by filling out the appropriate supplement or questions. If consent is not given, or if the match attempt is not successful, a VC-1 notice will go out requesting the verifications.

• Massachusetts-born applicants using the Medical Benefit Request (MBR) should complete Supplement D (PDF). On the Senior MBR, it is Supplement B. Virtual Gateway applicants are prompted to answer these questions via the new "Birth Information" (PDF) page.

• Massachusetts-born MassHealth members may use the Eligibility Review Form (ERV) and MassHealth Eligibility Review to request MassHealth look up their birth records.

• Clients who were born out-of-state cannot request a match through the MBR or Virtual Gateway. To request a copy of an out-of-state birth certificate, you can use this updated chart of birth certificate contacts in all 50 states & more (PDF).