D How to Calculate Qualifying Quarters

Program	Manual Section
All programs	MA608.B

Procedures

Follow the steps below to determine if a noncitizen can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of employment and is exempt from sponsor deeming.

Step	Action
1	Call the customer and ask if they can answer questions to decide if they meet a condition to be exempt from sponsor deeming. Let the customer know that you can ask the questions by phone or send them the form to complete and return. Is the customer able to provide the answers over the phone? If YES, record the customer’s answers on the Sponsor Deeming Information (AH-611) form. Continue to step 2. If NO, skip to step 4.
2	Upload the completed AH-611 to Health-e-Arizona Plus (HEAplus).
3	Add a case note saying that the questions on the AH-611 were answered by phone and that the completed form was uploaded to HEAplus. Skip to step 6.
4	Send the Sponsor Deeming Information (AH-611) form to the customer using a Request For Information (RFI).
5	Did the customer return a completed AH-611? If YES, continue to Step 6 If NO, STOP. Deny the case for failure to provide proof of income.
6	Does the customer or spouse have SSA retirement income showing on the SOLQI? If YES, continue to step 7. If NO skip to step 8.
7	Review the completed AH-611. Has the customer or the customer’s spouse or customer’s parents been employed or self-employed while living in the United States? If NO, STOP. The customer does not meet this exemption. If YES, continue to Step 8.
8	Submit a Policy Clarification Request (PCR) asking to submit a WTPY for quarters of employment for each person showing employment.
9	Does the WTPY show 40 or more quarters for any of the people in step 6? If YES, skip to Step 11. If NO, continue to Step 10.
10	Review AH-611 for any periods of employment listed by the customer that do not display a qualifying quarter on the WTPY. Review any documents submitted by the customer for proof of earnings during those periods. If proof of employment is available for any quarters that do not show as qualifying quarters on the WTPY, continue to Step 12. If proof of employment is not found and was not submitted, skip to Step 14. NOTE When the customer states that any of the people in step 6 have qualifying quarters that are not shown on the WTPY, submit a Policy Clarification Request. Ask the Office of Eligibility Policy to search Base Wage and The Work Number for evidence of qualifying quarters.
11	Total the customer’s gross earnings from employment and gross profit from self-employment (earnings remaining after deducting allowable self-employment expenses).
12	For each year with proof of earnings, compare the person’s total earnings for the year to the amount needed to get four credits for that. See the Quarter of Coverage chart at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/COLA/QC.html for the amounts by year. If the total earnings equal or exceed the amount needed for 4 quarters, count 4 qualifying quarters for that year. If the total earnings are less than the amount needed for 4 quarters, divide the total earnings by the amount needed for one quarter and drop any partial quarters. Count only the full quarters. NOTE When calculating qualifying quarters for the year manually based on available proof, and the person has at least one qualifying quarter listed for that same year on the WTPY, do not add them together. Use whichever has the higher number of quarters; the SSA record or the manual calculation.
13	Add the total quarters on the WTPY from Step 9 to the quarters calculated in Step 12. NOTE When calculating qualifying quarters for the year manually based on available proof, and the person has at least one qualifying quarter listed for that same year on the WTPY, do not add them together. Use whichever has the higher number of quarters; the SSA record or the manual calculation.
14	On the AH-611, did the customer answer “yes” to the question “Since January 1, 1997, have you received benefits from Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, Nutrition Assistance, or Cash Assistance?”? If YES, continue to step 15. If NO, skip to step 16.
15	Deduct any quarters where the customer reports receiving public benefits from the total amount of quarters calculated. For any quarter the customer got public benefits, it is not considered to be a qualifying quarter.
16	Does the customer have 40 or more qualifying quarters? If YES, STOP. Sponsor deeming does not apply. If NO, continue to Step 17.
17	If the customer stated on the AH-611 that his or her spouse was employed in the U.S., use Steps 9 – 16 to calculate qualifying quarters for the spouse. Only count quarters earned during the couple’s marriage, or any period of time the couple lived together as husband and wife. NOTE If the couple has divorced, the spouse’s quarters cannot be claimed.
18	Add the spouse’s qualifying quarters to the customer’s qualifying quarters. Does the customer have 40 or more qualifying quarters? If YES, STOP. Sponsor deeming does not apply. If NO, continue to Step 19.
19	If the customer claimed on the AH-611 that a parent or stepparent was employed in the U.S. while the customer was under age 18, use Steps 9 – 16 to calculate qualifying quarters for each parent or stepparent. For parents - Include any quarters a parent earned before the customer turned age 18, including before the customer was born. For stepparents – Include only quarters earned after the parent married the stepparent and before the customer turned age 18
20	Add the parent’s or stepparent’s qualifying quarters and any qualifying quarters from a spouse to the customer’s qualifying quarters. Does the customer have 40 or more qualifying quarters? If YES, STOP. Sponsor deeming does not apply. If NO, the customer does not meet this exemption for sponsor deeming.