Earnings disregards are employed by most states and most programs that use a net income test. The exceptions in our sample are Colorado's Medicaid poverty expansion and S-SCHIP programs. Earnings disregards are frequently time sensitive--that is, the disregard becomes less generous over time--and the disregard can differ between applicants and recipients.9 Tables II.2 and II.3 show earnings disregards for applicants and recipients, respectively. Today, states have the option to continue using the old AFDC standard earnings disregard policies, or establish new disregards for their TANF and Medicaid programs which are at least as generous as the standards in place on July 16, 1996.10 Among all states, 42 have chosen to establish new earnings disregards for their TANF programs (ACF 1998). In our sample of 10 states, the 1931 Medicaid programs in Arkansas, Florida, and New York have adopted the new earnings disregards used by the state's TANF programs. Other 1931 Medicaid programs continue to use the old AFDC standard, such as the $90 disregard applied to each person with earnings.11 As a result, the disregard used by the state's TANF program may differ from the one used by the 1931 Medicaid program--examples include Alabama, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The Medicaid expansion programs (poverty and M-SCHIP) in our sample states continue to use the old AFDC standard earnings disregard when the program uses a net income test.
Medicaid | SCHIP | Other | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TANF | 1931/AFDC | Poverty Expansion | M-SCHIP | S-SCHIP | ||
Alabama | Othera | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA | NA |
Arkansas | Otherb | Otherb | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA | NA |
California | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA | NA |
Colorado | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Connecticut | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA |
Florida | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | MediKids: AFDC Standard Healthy Kids: NA |
NA |
Massachusetts | Otherc | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Michigan | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA |
New Jersey | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA | NA |
New York | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA | NA |
SOURCE: MPR State Income Eligibility Requirements Database.
NOTE: aDisregard 100 percent of earnings for three months. |
Medicaid | SCHIP | Other | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TANF | 1931/AFDC | Poverty Expansion | M-SCHIP | S-SCHIP | ||
Alabama | Othera | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA | NA |
Arkansas | Otherb | Otherb | Otherc | Otherc | NA | NA |
California | Otherd | Othere | Otherc | Otherc | NA | NA |
Colorado | AFDC Standard | Otherc | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Connecticut | Otherf | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | Otherg | NA |
Florida | Otherh | Otherh | Otherc | Otherc | MediKids: Otherc Healthy Kids: NA | NA |
Massachusetts | AFDC Standard | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Michigan | Otheri | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA |
New Jersey | Otherj | Otherc | Otherc | Otherc | NA | NA |
New York | Otherk | Otherk | AFDC Standard | AFDC Standard | NA | NA |
SOURCE: MPR State Income Eligibility Requirements Database.
NOTE: NA = Not applicable AFDC Standards: Disregard $90 + $30 + 1/3 of the remainder of earned income for each person for the first four months. Disregard $90 + $30 of earned income for months 5 through 12. Disregard $90 of earned income for each person with earned income for month 13 and beyond. |