149 MASS CHANGES SR 94-04, 04/94 (FSM-A)

The state or federal government initiates mass changes that can affect all individuals or large numbers of individuals. Mass changes include the following:

. eligibility standards,

. cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security, SSI, VA, and other federal benefits,

. other eligibility criteria based on legislation or regulations,

. utility standards,

. shelter deductions,

. dependent care deductions,

. standard deductions, or

. food stamp allotment amounts.

When mass changes occur, Division of Family Assistance State Office automatically does the following:

. adjusts eligibility or benefits, and

. sends Form 805 to notify individuals of the results of the change.

If an individual requests a fair hearing as a result of a decrease or termination in benefits, reinstate benefits to the pre-change level only if the issue being contested is that:

. eligibility or the amount of benefits was improperly computed, or

. a federal law or regulation was misapplied or misinterpreted.