State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Release 24-02 August 22, 2024

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20.1 Verification

20.1.1 Verification Definition

Verification is part of determining eligibility. To verify means to establish the accuracy of verbal or written statements made about a group’s circumstances.

If the memberA recipient of Medicaid; formerly referred to as a "client." is applying for other programs of assistance or if you are looking for sources of verification, see the specific verification chapters for those programs in their respective handbooks.

20.1.2 Documentation

Documentation is a method by which you accomplish verification. Case comments in CWWCARES Worker Web provide documentation, including worker notes regarding collateral contacts, viewing documents, home visits, etc. Include enough data to describe the nature and source of information if follow up is needed.

20.1.3 Verification Receipt Date

The verification receipt date is the day verification is delivered to the appropriate IMincome maintenance agency or the next business day if verification is delivered after the agency's regularly scheduled business hours. IM agencies must stamp the receipt date on each piece of verification provided.

20.1.4 General Rules

1. Over-verification, including requiring excessive pieces of evidence for any one item or requesting verification that is not needed to determine eligibility, is prohibited. Once the accuracy of a written or verbal statement has been established, additional verification can’t be required. For example, once U.S. citizenship is verified, a member or applicant never has to verify it again (see Section 7.2 Verifying U.S. Citizenship).
2. If information has already been verified, the applicant or member does not need to verify it again except in the following situations:
   1. There is reason to believe the information is fraudulent or differs from more recent information. If fraud is suspected, the IM agency will determine if a referral for fraud or for front-end verification should be made (see Section 20.6 Front End Verification).
   2. The member reported a change to information that is subject to mandatory verification rules or is questionable.
   3. At renewal, information is subject to mandatory verification rules or is questionable.
3. One particular type of verification can’t be exclusively required when various types are adequate and available.
4. Verification need not be presented in person. Verification may be submitted by mail, fax, email, or another electronic device, or through an authorized representative.
5. Special groups or persons can’t be targeted based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, religion, or migrant status for special verification requirements.
6. The applicant or member can’t be required to sign a release form (either blanket or specialized) when the member provides required verification.
7. Verification of information that is not used to determine eligibility can’t be required.
8. During verification, the applicant or member can’t be harassed or have their privacy, personal dignity, or constitutional rights violated.

The applicant or member has primary responsibility for providing verification and resolving questionable information. However, the IM worker must use all available data exchanges to verify information rather than requiring the applicant to provide it, unless the information from the data source is not reasonably compatible with what the applicant or member has reported (see Section 20.3.8.1 Reasonable Compatibility for Income for Health Care and Section 20.3.5.2 Reasonable Compatibility for Assets).

IM agencies must assist the applicant or member in obtaining verification if they request help or have difficulty in obtaining it.

The best information available should be used to process the application or change within the time limit when both of the following conditions exist:

1. The applicant or member does not have the power to produce verification.
2. Information is not obtainable timely even with the IM worker's assistance.

Applicants meeting the health care program eligibility criteria based on this best available information are eligible for benefits. Even after the application or change is processed using best available information, the IM agency is required to continue in their attempts to obtain verification. When the verification is received, benefits may need to be adjusted based on the new information. The agency must explain this to the applicant or member when requesting verification.

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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