H. Assessing Compliance With the Community Engagement Requirement

This section of the IFC discusses how States must assess compliance with the community engagement requirement in the context of applications, renewals, certain redeterminations in connection with changes in circumstances, and, at State option, more frequent verifications between renewals.

Section 1902(xx)(1) of the Act, as implemented in new § 435.556, provides that States must require applicable individuals to demonstrate community engagement as a condition of eligibility for medical assistance at application and renewal. Section 1902(xx)(4) of the Act provides States the option to conduct more frequent verifications of compliance with the community engagement requirement. Section II.K. of this IFC describes when States must first implement the community engagement requirement.

Subject to certain limitations, section 1902(xx)(1) of the Act allows States to determine the number of months for which applicable individuals must demonstrate community engagement. Generally, the specific months for which an applicable individual must demonstrate community engagement differ for those who are applying for medical assistance under the State plan (or a waiver of such plan) and those who are already enrolled and receiving medical assistance under the State plan (or a waiver of such plan). However, in both cases, we use the term “review period” to reference the time period under consideration, during which an applicable individual must demonstrate the required number of months of ( printed page 33389) community engagement (or be deemed to being doing so through an exception) to fulfill the requirement.