(a) General requirements. Except where law requires other procedures (such as for citizenship and immigration status information), the State may accept attestation of information needed to determine the eligibility of an individual for CHIP (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 subchapter, 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) Status as a citizen, national or a non-citizen.

(1) Except for newborns identified in §435.406(a)(1)(iii)(E) of this chapter, who are exempt from any requirement to verify citizenship, the agency must—

(i) Verify citizenship or immigration status in accordance with §435.956(a) of this chapter, except that the reference to §435.945(k) is read as a reference to paragraph (i) of this section; and

(ii) Provide a reasonable opportunity period to verify such status in accordance with §435.956(a)(5) and (b) of this chapter and provide benefits during such reasonable opportunity period to individuals determined to be otherwise eligible for CHIP.

(2) [Reserved]

(c) State residents. If the State does not accept self-attestation of residency, the State must verify residency in accordance with §435.956(c) of this chapter.

(d) Income. If the State does not accept self-attestation of income, the State must verify the income of an individual by using the data sources and following standards and procedures for verification of financial eligibility consistent with §435.945(a), §435.948 and §435.952 of this chapter.

(e) Verification of other factors of eligibility. For eligibility requirements not described in paragraphs (c) or (d) of this section, a State may adopt reasonable verification procedures, consistent with the requirements in §435.952 of this chapter, except that the State must accept self-attestation of pregnancy unless the State has information that is not reasonably compatible with such attestation.

(f) Requesting information. The terms of §435.952 of this chapter apply equally to the State in administering a separate CHIP.

(g) Electronic service. Except to the extent permitted under paragraph (i) of this section, to the extent that information sought under this section is available through the electronic service described in §435.949 of this chapter, the State must obtain the information through that service.

(h) Interaction with program integrity requirements. Nothing in this section should be construed as limiting the State's program integrity measures or affecting the State's obligation to ensure that only eligible individuals receive benefits or its obligation to provide for methods of administration that are in the best interest of applicants and enrollees and are necessary for the proper and efficient operation of the plan.

(i) Flexibility in information collection and verification. Subject to approval by the Secretary, the State may modify the methods to be used for collection of information and verification of information as set forth in this section, provided that such alternative source 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.

(j) Verification plan. The State 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 to implement the provisions set forth in this section in a format and manner prescribed by the Secretary.

[77 FR 17216, Mar. 23, 2012, as amended at 81 FR 86466, Nov. 30, 2016]