Four-Month Continuing

The Four-Month Continuing program provides four months of zero SOC MC for individuals who are discontinued from CW, parent/caretaker relative MAGI MC, and child MAGI MC aid codes due to the collection of or increased collection of child/spousal support.

When an individual is discontinued from CW due to the collection of or increased collection of child/spousal support, he/she must first be evaluated for MAGI MC before a Four-Month Continuing evaluation can be completed. If there is no tax filing household information available, the EW must contact the client to collect this information.

Four-Month Continuing eligibility may also exist when the increase in child/spousal support alone is not enough to terminate the family from CW, but the increase, when combined with another circumstance, would be enough to cause ineligibility.

ExampleExample

A CW family receives $325 in countable child support. In the next month, the countable support increases to $650 and at the same time one of the older children leaves the home. The family becomes ineligible for CW. The Four-Month Continuing benefits is granted because the increase in child support collection was not enough in of itself (wholly) to cause ineligibility, but when combined (in part) with one of the children leaving the home, the family lost eligibility for CW.

Qualifying Criteria

Individuals discontinued from CW are eligible for four (4) consecutive months of zero SOC MC benefits if both:

The discontinuance is due in whole, or in part, to the receipt/collection of the increased receipt/collection of child/spousal support, AND
Clients received CW/PCMC, or were eligible to receive CW/PCMC in at least 3 of the 6 months immediately before the month they became ineligible for CW/PCMC. (The months do not need to be consecutive.)

Period of Eligibility

The beginning date of Four-Month Continuing eligibility is the month immediately following the month in which the family became ineligible for CW/PCMC regardless of the actual date of discontinuance.

After discontinuing CW/PCMC, establish MC benefits under aid code 54/5W depending on how many months of Four-Month Continuing eligibility are remaining. The appropriate termination date must be sent to MEDS.

An RD due date must correspond with the 3rd month of aid code 54/5W eligibility. Before the end of the fourth month, the continuing EW must redetermine ongoing MC eligibility following the ex parte process.

ExampleExample

Mrs. Lyon and her two children have been receiving CW for the last two years. The District Attorney’s Office has finally had Mr. Lyon’s paycheck garnished, and the amount they will collect, plus Mrs. Lyon’s other income, will make the family ineligible for CW. She reports this timely and her CW is discontinued 3/31. The family will be on Four-Month Continuing MC (aid code 54) from 4/1 through 7/31. The ex parte process must be completed in June.

Individuals are established on aid code 54/5W and are:

Eligible for zero SOC MC for four consecutive months regardless of whether other eligibility requirements are met.
Not required to submit status reports, or complete RDs.

Note: Reevaluate for Four-Month Continuing (54/5W) for any month the family received zero SOC MC under aid code 38 or a CW overpayment from the month the family became ineligible for CW.

Eligibility Conditions

Once determined eligible, there are no other program requirements except that the family must continue to have an eligible child and reside in California.

Families who leave California, but then return before the expiration of their four months, may receive the remainder of the months.
Families who were terminated from a cash program similar to CW in another state are not entitled to Four-Month Continuing benefits in California.

Note: Individuals receiving Four-Month Continuing MC are ineligible members of the case when determining MC eligibility for other family members. However, their uncovered medical expenses could be used to reduce other family member's SOC.

Ineligibility for Four-Month Continuing

Ineligibility for the Four-Month Continuing program exists:

If there is no longer a child in the home under 18 years old (or 18 years old, enrolled in school and expected to graduate before their 19th birthday); the parent(s) is also ineligible.
If individuals are receiving assistance under RCA/ECA (aid codes 01 and 08).

Note: Eligibility for MC must be determined for family members ineligible for the Four-Month Continuing program.

Inter County Transfer (ICT)

When a family receiving MC benefits under the Four-Month Continuing program moves to another county, an ICT must be initiated by the Sending county to the Receiving county. The Sending county is responsible for case changes and benefit issuance until the last day of the final month in which eligibility exists for the family under the Four-Month Continuing program.