(a) Except where the law requires other procedures (such as for citizenship and immigration status information), the agency may accept attestation of information needed to determine the eligibility of an individual for Medicaid (either self-attestation by the individual or attestation by an adult who is in the applicant's household, as defined in §435.603(f) of this part, or family, as defined in section 36B(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, an authorized representative, or, if the individual is a minor or incapacitated, someone acting responsibly for the individual) without requiring further information (including documentation) from the individual.

(b) The agency must request and use information relevant to verifying an individual's eligibility for Medicaid in accordance with §§435.948 through 435.956 of this subpart.

(c) The agency must furnish, in a timely manner, income and eligibility information, subject to regulations at part 431 subpart F of this chapter, needed for verifying eligibility to the following programs:

(1) To other agencies in the State and other States and to the Federal programs both listed in §435.948(a) of this subpart and identified in section 1137(b) of the Act;

(2) Other insurance affordability programs;

(3) The child support enforcement program under part D of title IV of the Act; and

(4) SSA for OASDI under title II and for SSI benefits under title XVI of the Act.

(d) All State eligibility determination systems must conduct data matching through the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS).

(e) The agency must, as required under section 1137(a)(7) of the Act, and upon request, reimburse another agency listed in §435.948(a) of this subpart or paragraph (c) of this section for reasonable costs incurred in furnishing information, including new developmental costs.

(f) Prior to requesting information for an applicant or beneficiary from another agency or program under this subpart, the agency must inform the individual that the agency will obtain and use information available to it under this subpart to verify income and eligibility or for other purposes directly connected to the administration of the State plan.

(g) Consistent with §431.16 of this subchapter, the agency must report information as prescribed by the Secretary for purposes of determining compliance with §431.305 of this subchapter, subpart P of part 431, §§435.910 and 435.940 through 435.965 and of evaluating the effectiveness of the income and eligibility verification system.

(h) Information exchanged electronically between the State Medicaid agency and any other agency or program must be sent and received via secure electronic interfaces as defined in §435.4 of this part.

(i) The agency must execute written agreements with other agencies before releasing data to, or requesting data from, those agencies. Such agreements must provide for appropriate safeguards limiting the use and disclosure of information as required by Federal or State law or regulations.

(j) Verification plan. The agency must develop, and update as modified, and submit to the Secretary, upon request, a verification plan describing the verification policies and procedures adopted by the State agency to implement the provisions set forth in §§435.940 through 435.956 of this subpart in a format and manner prescribed by the Secretary.

(k) Flexibility in information collection and verification. Subject to approval by the Secretary, the agency may request and use information from a source or sources alternative to those listed in §435.948(a) of this subpart, or through a mechanism other than the electronic service described in §435.949(a) of this subpart, provided that such alternative source or mechanism will reduce the administrative costs and burdens on individuals and States while maximizing accuracy, minimizing delay, meeting applicable requirements relating to the confidentiality, disclosure, maintenance, or use of information, and promoting coordination with other insurance affordability programs.

[77 FR 17211, Mar. 23, 2012, as amended at 81 FR 86459, Nov. 30, 2016]