text: IDHS: Guide to Completing an ABE Application
  Applicants can save an application in process and return to it later to complete and submit it. Unfortunately, once an application is submitted changes cannot be made through ABE. Instead, applicants should communicate changes to the office that is processing the application. This information can be found on the summary page of the ABE application.
  Community partners, including Illinois Navigators, can help someone complete an application in ABE.
  All Kids Application Agents (AKAAs) may submit benefits applications on behalf of Applicants for all programs - Medical, SNAP and cash. More information on registering as an AKAA is provided separately.
  ABE can be used by anyone seeking Illinois Medicaid coverage, including new groups covered as a result of national health care reform under the Affordable Care Act.
  Beginning January 1, 2014, Illinois covers two new eligibility groups under Medicaid.
  ACA Adults must meet the following eligibility criteria:
  persons age 18 up to age 26 who were receiving Illinois Medicaid benefits when they aged out of the state foster care system, and are not otherwise eligible under Family Health Plans or AABD
  Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) is the new national methodology for determining eligibility for Medicaid for children, parents or other caretaker relatives, pregnant women and ACA Adults. MAGI directs how states count income and household composition for these groups. It is similar to the way income is counted for federal income tax purposes. MAGI rules will not be used for AABD eligibility for seniors, blind persons or persons with disabilities.
  Medicaid, including All Kids and FamilyCare, meets the ACA requirement for health coverage. There is no need for existing customers to reapply. There are no new or additional Medicaid benefits available to current recipients as a result of the ACA.
  For Medicaid, if you are not sure if you are eligible, go to www.GetCoveredIllinois.gov and click on "Explore your health coverage options." Here you will be asked questions about your household and referred either to ABE to apply for Medicaid, or to www.Healthcare.gov to apply for private insurance through the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace. Financial help may be available through the Marketplace to help lower the cost of private insurance.
  We strongly encourage everyone - community partners, health care providers and the general public to apply for Medicaid, SNAP, cash assistance and the Medicare Savings Program online through ABE for the fastest service. ABE has a number of features to ensure that application data is transferred accurately and efficiently to caseworkers for processing.
  Your ABE session will time-out after 30 minutes of inactivity. You will need to log-in again to continue.
  To protect your personal data, be sure to logout of ABE after submitting your application or if you step away from your computer.
  MPE Providers, All Kids Application Agents and CountyCare Assisters have a separate log-in process (#2). They can also use this link to update registration information. More information about this process will be provided to these entities separately.
  After an Applicant clicks "Apply for Benefits" they will be brought to this screen. To start a new application or to go on to create a User ID or password, click "Start a New Application" option.
  The first time Applicants enter ABE, they will need to create an account so they can come back to ABE later to check their application status or save their information and return to the application later.
  Indicate if someone is assisting with the application. If not, simply click "Next".
  Applicants will be asked to review the Rights & Responsibilities for each benefit program applied for and electronically sign the application.
  After clicking "Submit," the Applicant will be given a tracking number and the option of printing a copy of the application. The Applicant can log out or upload verification documents by clicking "Next" from this page.
  If an Applicant needs time to gather proof documents, he or she can log back into ABE to upload documents up until a caseworker begins processing the application. See page 32 of this Guide for instructions.
  Be sure to logout of ABE if your session is complete!
  An Applicant does not need to collect all of these documents to submit an ABE application. If the caseworker needs additional information, the Applicant will receive a written request in the mail.
  Returning to ABE to Upload Proof Documents
  You may return to ABE to upload verification documents anytime up until a caseworker begins processing the Application.
  When you log back into ABE you will see a summary of the Application you recently submitted, click [View].
  Returning to ABE to Upload Proof Documents (continued)
  Click "View and Submit Types of Proof" [Next Steps]. From here, just follow the instructions on the screen.
  If the "View and Submit Types of Proof" [Next Steps] button is not visible, a caseworker has already begun processing the application, and the applicant will receive instructions in the mail about proof documentation that may still be required to complete the Application.
  Once you submit an application in ABE, you can no longer make changes to it in ABE, but you are able to view the application as it was submitted. Applicants should contact the office where the application was sent for processing to report any changes. This information is printed on the ABE Application Summary page.
  The new application will appear in an electronic inbox where a caseworker will take it from the queue and register it.