Do you have MaineCare?
Are you planning to apply for MaineCare?

To get or keep MaineCare, you may have to prove your citizenship and your identity.

There is an important new federal law that starts in July 2007. It says that many people who already have MaineCare, and many people who apply for MaineCare, must show the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) documents that prove both their U.S. citizenship and their identity. This law is for both adults and children.

People who are exempt from this new law

The following people are exempt from this new law. They do not have to show documents to prove their citizenship and their identity:

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• People with:
  Medicare
  Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  People with Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Legal immigrants, such as people with "green cards" and refugees
• Foster children

The new law does not apply to these groups because they already provided documents to government officials to prove their citizenship or immigration status and identity. They do not have to do anything different to get or keep MaineCare.

Important: If you were ever in one of these groups in the past, you also do not have to give proof of your citizenship or identity. But you will need to tell your MaineCare Eligibility Specialist that you used to be in one of these groups.

Special rules for infants and pregnant women

Infants have until age 1 to show documents to prove citizenship and identity.

Pregnant women applying for MaineCare will get extra time to provide the required documents.

What do I need to do if this new law applies to me?

Step 1:

DHHS will first try to look at other records that the state has to see if they can prove your citizenship or identity, without having to bother you. DHHS will check for Maine birth records, Maine licenses and other sources of information. DHHS may need some help from you. For example, if you no longer go by your name at birth, DHHS will need to know this.

Step 2:

If DHHS cannot prove your citizenship or identity, then it will be up to you to do this. You will have to prove both your citizenship and your identity. To do this, you will need to show DHHS original documents (or certified copies from the issuing agency - for example, a certified copy of a birth certificate from the city/town or state where you were born).

Once you have shown DHHS the documents that prove your citizenship and identity, you will not have to do it ever again in Maine. This means that if you stop getting MaineCare, but some time later you get MaineCare again, you will not have to show these documents to DHHS again.

What documents do I need to have?

Any one of these three documents can be used to prove both citizenship and identity:

• U.S. Passport (even if it has expired)
  
• Certificate of Naturalization, or
• Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (this is not the same as a birth certificate)

Most people won't have one of these documents. This means they will have to show one document that proves citizenship, and another document that proves identity. Some documents you can use are:

Citizenship

• U.S. birth certificate
• Official Military Record of Service that shows U.S. place of birth

Identity

• Driver's license or State ID
• Native American Tribal Document
• School ID card with photo
• U.S. Military Card or Draft Record
• School records (if age 15 and younger)
• Day care records (if age 15 and younger)
• Affidavit (if age 15 and younger)*

_{* Children age 15 and younger who do not have a document to prove identity can have a parent fill out a form called an affidavit. This affidavit will prove identity for that child (or children).}

This is not a full list of documents that will prove citizenship and identity. You may have another document that you can use. Call the Citizenship and Identity Hotline (1-800-701-1887) to learn what other documents can be used.

Help paying for documents

One of the things that makes this new law so difficult is that it will cost money to get a birth certificate or a driver's license or state ID if you do not already have one. The cost of a birth certificate depends on where you were born.

If you were born in Maine, you will not have to get a copy of your birth certificate. DHHS will check state records for your birth certificate. Most birth certificates from other states cost between $10 and $32. You may be able to get help with this cost, or with the cost of renewing or replacing your driver's license or getting a state ID! Call the Citizenship and Identity Hotline (1-800-701-1887) for help with paying for the documents you need.

I already have MaineCare. What do I need to do?

1. You will need to give the documents at your next annual MaineCare review.
2. Three months before your annual review, you will get a letter from DHHS telling you that your review is coming up. The letter will tell you if you have to prove either citizenship or identity.
   Please note that you will not get a letter if you and others in your household on MaineCare are exempt from this new law.
3. If you were born in Maine, or if you have a Maine driver's license or state ID, your letter should tell you that you don't have to show either a birth certificate or your driver's license or state ID.
4. You will be given a "reasonable amount of time" to show DHHS the documents that they need to see. You should not lose your MaineCare because you are having a hard time getting these documents - but if you are having a hard time, be sure to call the Citizenship and Identity Hotline or your DHHS Eligibility Specialist. The Hotline staff (1-800-701-1887) can help you get the documents - and they may even help you pay for them!

I plan on applying for MaineCare. What do I need to do?

It's important for you to know that if you are applying for MaineCare, you will not be able to get it until you show documents to prove your citizenship and your identity. Don't wait until you have your documents to apply for MaineCare. When applying, tell DHHS that you are working on getting your documents. The staff from the Citizenship and Identity Hotline (1-800-701-1887) can help you - and may be able to help you pay for them.

Outstations: Some local agencies will be acting as "Outstations" for DHHS. This means that staff at these agencies will be able to look at your original documents (or certified copies) instead of you having to show them to DHHS. Call the Citizenship and Identity Hotline (1-800-701-1887) to find an Outstation agency near you.

Please call us at Maine Equal Justice (toll-free) at 1-866-626-7059, if you have any questions, or if you are having a hard time with this new law. Your stories will help us to continue to work to change this law for the better.