10.1 SSN Requirements

10.1.1 Overview of Social Security Number Requirements

Medicaid applicants must provide an SSN or be willing to apply for one. Assist the applicant in applying for an SSN for any group member who does not have one. Non-applicants are not required to provide an SSN.

Do not deny benefits pending issuance of an SSN if you have any documentation that an SSN application was made. If an SSN application was made in good faith and the applicant cooperated fully with the application process, do not deny benefits if the SSN application was denied for reasons beyond the applicant’s control.

An applicant does not need to provide a document or Social Security card. He or she only needs to provide a number, which is verified through data exchanges.

If the caretaker is unwilling to provide or apply for the SSN of a minor or 18-year-old, then the person who does not have the SSN is ineligible.

Verify the SSN only once.

10.1.2 Social Security Number Exceptions

Do not require an SSN for:

Pre-adoptive infants living in a foster home.
Non-qualifying immigrants applying for or receiving emergency services.
Someone without an SSN who may only be issued one for a valid non-work reason.
Someone who refuses to obtain an SSN because of well-established religious objections. ("Well-established religious objections" means that the applicant or member is a member of a recognized religious sect or division of the sect and that the applicant or member adheres to the tenets or teachings of the sect or division of the sect and for that reason is conscientiously opposed to applying for or using a national identification number.)

A person who refuses to apply for or use a SSN due to religious beliefs must provide verification from a church elder or other officiant that doing so is against the church doctrine.

10.1.3 SSN Mismatches

Refer to Process Help, Section 44.4 Discrepancy Processing and Match Access, if the SOLQ-I process returns a mismatch record.

Inform the applicant or member if the SOLQ-I process returns a different SSN or suggests that another person is using the same SSN. If it appears that the incorrect SSN was provided by the applicant or member, ask the applicant or member to clarify the correct SSN. If it appears that another person is using the same SSN, advise the applicant or member to contact the SSA. The applicant or member may request SSA conduct an investigation. Do not provide the applicant or member with any information that would identify the person who is using the applicant or member's SSN.

This page last updated in Release Number: 18-01

Release Date: 04/13/2018

Effective Date: 04/13/2018

The information concerning the Medicaid program provided in this handbook release is published in accordance with: Titles XI and XIX of the Social Security Act; Parts 430 through 481 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations; Chapters 46 and 49 of the Wisconsin Statutes; and Chapters HA 3, DHS 2, 10 and 101 through 109 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

Notice: The content within this manual is the sole responsibility of the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (DHS). This site will link to sites outside of DHS where appropriate. DHS is in no way responsible for the content of sites outside of DHS.

Publication Number: P-10030