SR 95-15 Dated 07/95

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases new policy and procedures for issuance of expedited food stamp benefits. FAM policy no longer requires that all verifications must be provided before certain expedited food stamp households can be issued the second month’s food stamps.

This SR also releases new EMS processing capabilities. Effective July 17, 1995, EMS will be able to process future month food stamp benefits as well as variable issuances. This programming will eliminate the need for manual issuances in most variable and expedited cases.

BACKGROUND

Following a U.S. District Court finding against the U.S.Department of Agriculture (Johnson v. USDA and Georgia, 3/31/92), the Food and Consumer Service (FCS) modified food stamp policy on combined allotments for expedited food stamp households whose verifications were postponed. Prior to this policy, when an individual applied after the fifteenth of the month for expedited food stamps but did not provide all verifications, a separate manual issuance was required for the second month’s benefits when all the verifications were provided. The revised FCS regulations require the Division to add the second month's full allotment to the prorated first month's allotment without the additional verification.

 Households eligible for expedited food stamps that apply after the fifteenth of the month must receive the initial month's prorated allotment, combined with a second month's full allotment, whether or not verification is provided.

 Verifications will be waived to meet expedited timeframes, except for the proof of identity criteria. Additional, needed verifications are no longer required to authorize the second month's benefits.

 Postponed verification must be provided to continue benefits after the second month.

SYSTEM CHANGES/PROCEDURES

EMS can now process expedited combined allotments and variable basis of issuance allotments. These issuances previously required manual processing using Form 444, Request for Manual Issuance of ATI. This section covers new codes, messages, and entry procedures related to both types of issuances.

Expedited Combined Allotment

EMS uses food stamp mail issuance codes to calculate and issue the prorated initial month’s benefits and the subsequent month's full benefits for cases meeting combined allotment criteria, whether or not verification has been provided. To prevent duplicate issuances in the major run, EMS will generate the appropriate new suspense reason code and then set suspension and reinstate dates based on the issuance codes. If the case technician enters codes for cases that meet the future month benefit criteria, TSM will display an error message. EMS will generate appropriate ATI and NOD action and reason messages for the issuances. After benefits are issued,

 Verified expedited combined allotment cases are put into a two month suspension period. Benefits are reinstated the last day of the month after the application month, or

 Unverified expedited combined allotment cases are put into a suspension period through the certification period. If verification is not provided, the suspended case will close at the end of the recertification month. If all verification is provided by the end of the second month, the case must be reinstated in order to receive continuing benefits.

New Suspense Reason Codes

The following new suspense reason codes allow EMS to prevent duplicate issuance of food stamps in the major run.

FV - means that the case is in suspense because the future month benefits have already been issued and all verifications received (system generated)

FN - means that the case is in suspense because future month benefits have already been issued but other verifications have NOT been received (system generated)

FM - means that the case is in suspense and a manual issuance must be done (tech enters)

TSM Entries For Various Expedited Combined Allotment Situations

Application date must be after the 15th of the month and processed in the application month.

All Verifications Provided

1. D.O. opens or reopens on E-line

2. D.O. enters expedited issuance code 4 (verification provided/1st class) or 5 (verification provided/certified)

3. EMS enters suspense reason FV

4. EMS sets the suspense date for the last day of the application month and the reinstate date for the last day of the month after the application month

5. EMS will generate an ATI in the pickup run providing prorated benefits for the current month and full monthly allotment for the second month

6. Continuing benefits will be issued in the major run

Without All Verifications Provided

1. D.O. opens or reopens on E-line

2. D.O. enters expedited issuance code 2 (no verification provided/1st class) or 3 (no verification provided/certified)

3. EMS enters suspense reason FN

4. EMS sets the last day of the month of application as the suspense date and the last day of the recertification month as the reinstate date

5. EMS will generate an ATI in the pickup run which will provide prorated benefits for the current month and full monthly allotment for the second

6. No further benefits will be issued until the D.O. takes the case out of suspense

Manual Issuance - Verifications Provided

1. D.O. suppresses Notice of Decision on A-line

2. D.O. opens or reopens on E-Line

3. D.O. enters expedited issuance code 4 or 5

4. D.O. enters suspense reason code FM (which overrides entries triggered by use of codes 4 or 5)

5. EMS sets the suspense date equal to the determ/eligible date

6. EMS enters a reinstate date of the last day of the month after the application month

7. D.O. completes Form 444 with a 1A and 1T and submits it to the Bureau of Data Management (BDM)

8. Continuing benefits will be issued in major run for the month after the 2nd month

Manual Issuance - Without All Verifications Provided

1. D.O. suppresses Notice of Decision on A-line

2. D.O. opens or reopens on E-Line

3. D.O. enters expedited issuance code 2 or 3

4. D.O. enters suspense reason code FM (which overrides entries triggered by use of codes 2 or 3)

5. EMS enters suspense date equal to the determ/eligible date

6. EMS enters reinstate date equal to last day of recertification month

7. D.O. completes Form 444 and submits it to BDM

8. No further benefits will be issued until the D.O. takes the case out of suspense

Completing these entries for manual issuances will prevent duplicate issuance of food stamps during the major run.

New NOD Action Message - Expedited Combined Allotments

When a case meets the criteria for future months benefits and the issuance code is 2,3,4, or 5 the NOD action message reads:

INDIVIDUALS LISTED BELOW ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FROM (date) TO (date). THE (current month) BENEFIT of (amount) AND (next month) BENEFIT OF (amount) WILL BE SENT TOGETHER. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, THE (3rd month) BENEFIT WILL BE (amount).

ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS:

NOD Reason Message - Expedited Combined Allotments

To reflect revised policy, the following new positive Reason Message 713 replaces Reason Message 710 which was generated for expedited cases whose verifications were postponed.

IF YOU APPLY FOR EXPEDITED FOOD STAMPS AFTER THE 15TH, FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES THAT WE ISSUE STAMPS FOR THE APPLICATION MONTH AND THE FOLLOWING MONTH AT THE SAME TIME. YOU WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. WE MUST RECEIVE IT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE YOU APPLIED OR ELSE YOU WILL NOT GET ANY MORE BENEFITS. FAMILY ASSISTANCE CHAPTER 100.

Reason Message 712 will still be generated for an opening or reopening if the household is eligible for expedited service, all verifications are provided and the case meets criteria for combined benefits.

New ATI Messages for Combined Allotments

When the case meets criteria for combined allotments and the food stamp mail issuance code entered in field E-21 is 2 or 3, the ATI message reads:

YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EXPEDITED FOOD STAMPS. BECAUSE YOU APPLIED LATE IN THE MONTH, WE ARE SENDING STAMPS FOR 1st mo.   ($ amt.  ) AND 2nd mo.   ($ amt. ) TOGETHER. IF YOU PROVIDE ALL VERIFICATIONS WHICH WERE REQUESTED AND THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, YOUR NEXT STAMPS WILL BE SENT IN 3rd mo.  FOR ($ amt.  ).

When the case meets criteria for combined allotments and the food stamp mail issuance type entered in field E-21 is 4 or 5, the ATI message reads:

YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EXPEDITED FOOD STAMPS. BECAUSE YOU APPLIED LATE IN THE MONTH AND PROVIDED ALL VERIFICATIONS, WE ARE SENDING STAMPS FOR 1st mo.   ($ amt.  ) AND 2nd mo.   ($ amt. ) TOGETHER. UNLESS THERE ARE CHANGES, YOUR NEXT STAMPS WILL BE SENT IN 3rd mo.  FOR ($ amt.  ).

TSM Edit for Entry That Will Cause Expedited Combined Allotment Case to Error Reject

If the FS Issuance Code is 2, 3, 4, 5, the application date is later than the 15th of the month and the transaction month and year is the application month and year and the suspense reason is FV or FN, the following will appear:

SUSP RSN-E22 FV or FN SET BY SYSTEM

FV or FN is entered by EMS, not the case technician.

Variable Basis Of Issuance Allotments

Through using a new day code in the Determ/eligible Date Field and entering a benefit amount in the Retro Benefit Field, District Offices will be able to use EMS to issue the first month’s benefits against a different income amount than subsequent months and generate a correct allotment. Previously this required a manual issuance. Also, EMS will generate the appropriate ATI and NOD action and reason messages to accompany the issuance.

4th of the month, a new day code, will indicate variable basis of issuance and is used in conjunction with an entry in the Retro Benefit Field. A determ/eligible date of 4 requires entry of an amount in A-49, the Retro Benefit Field. This will allow EMS to issue benefits on a variable basis of issuance for the first month. This new EMS capability affects not only future month expedited issuances, but all variable basis of issuance openings.

The day part - 1, 2 , 3 and 4 - of the determ/eligible date for food stamps is now a code which tells EMS what to do for the first issuance. For example, entering a day code of the 2nd of the month issues full current month benefits only, while entering the 3rd of month will prorate benefits back to the application date. Before, it was not possible to process a case with a future determ/eligible date. With EMS enhancements released by this SR, it is now possible to process a case on the 2nd which has an application date of 2 and a determ/eligible date of 3.

NOD Action Messages - Variable Basis Of Issuance

New variable basis of issuance NOD Action Messages are required for EMS. Because these messages are used later on in step-by-step examples, they are being introduced here.

The NOD action message for regular variable basis of issuance (does not meet the criteria for future benefits) has been changed to read as follows.

INDIVIDUALS LISTED BELOW ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FROM (begin date) TO (recert. date). BENEFITS FOR (app month) THROUGH (current month) WILL BE (amount) OF STAMPS. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, MONTHLY BENEFITS STARTING IN (next month) WILL BE (amount).

ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS:

When a case requires a variable issuance with no rollback, because the initial issuance is only for the current month, a slightly different NOD action message is required.

INDIVIDUALS LISTED BELOW ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FROM (begin date) TO (recert date). BENEFITS FOR (current month) WILL BE (amount) OF STAMPS. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, MONTHLY BENEFITS STARTING IN (next month) WILL BE (amount).

ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS:

EMS Entries For Variable Basis Of Issuance

Variable Basis Of Issuance with No Rollback (Determ/eligible month is the current month):

1. D.O. opens case using a determ/eligible date of 4

2. D.O. enters manually computed prorated food stamp allotment amount for the current month based on current income in Retro Benefit Field (A-49)

3. D.O.enters next month’s income on the I-lines

4. EMS will issue stamps entered in Retro Benefit Field In the daily pick-up run. The next month’s benefits will be issued in the major run

Example A:

 Today’s date: 2/17/95

 Application date: 2/15/95

 Client had no income in February, will have income in March

 $75 -Tech computed, prorated February FS amount based on zero income (enter in A-49)

 $100 - EMS computed ongoing March FS amount with income

 The technician opens the case in February with a determ/eligible date of 2/4/95, and enters $75 in the Retro Benefit Field and enters the income for March on the I-line

EMS will issue the $75 in the pickup run and $100 in the major run for March.

The action message for Example A (variable basis of issuance with no rollback) reads:

INDIVIDUALS LISTED BELOW ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FROM 2/15/95 TO 5/25/95. BENEFITS FOR FEBRUARY WILL BE $75 OF STAMPS. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, MONTHLY BENEFITS STARTING IN MARCH WILL BE $100.

ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS:

Variable Basis of Issuance with Rollback (determ/eligible month is not current month):

1. D.O. opens case using a determ/eligible date of 4

2. D.O. manually computes and enters prorated food stamp allotment for the past month(s) based on past income into the Retro Benefit Field (A-49)

3. D.O. enters current month’s income on I-lines

4. EMS will issue stamps entered in the Retro Benefit Field AND the full current month’s benefits as computed in the pick-up run.

Example B:

 Today’s date: 2/17/95

 Application date: 1/15/95

 Client had income in January, no income in February

 $50 - Tech prorated FS amount for January based on January’s income (entered in A-49)

 $114 - EMS computed regular ongoing FS amount with no income

 The technician opens the case with a determ/eligible date of 1/4/95, and enters prorated amount in A-49 (Retro Benefit Field) equal to the amount of FS owed for January - $50

EMS will issue the $50 and $114 in the pick-up run.

The action message for Example B (variable basis of issuance with rollback) reads:

INDIVIDUALS LISTED BELOW ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FROM 1/15/95 TO 4/25/95. BENEFITS FOR JANUARY THROUGH FEBRUARY WILL BE $164 OF STAMPS. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, MONTHLY BENEFITS STARTING IN MARCH WILL BE $114 OF STAMPS.

ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS:

Expedited Variable Basis of Issuance with Future Month Benefits

1. D.O. opens case using a determ/eligible date of 4

2. D.O. enters manually computed prorated food stamp allotment based on current month’s income in Retro Benefit Field A-49

3. D.O. enters future month’s income on I-lines

4. EMS will issue current month’s prorated stamps (from Field A-49) AND future month’s regular benefits as computed In the pick-up run

Example C

 Today’s date: 2/17/95

 Application date: 2/17/95

 Client had no income in February, will have income in March

 FS Benefit:

 $45 - tech prorated FS amount based on February income (entered in A-49)

 $70 - EMS computed March benefit based on income entered on case

 The technician will open the case with a determ/eligible date of 2/4/95 and enter $45 in Retro Benefit Field - A-49. The FS mail issuance code must be 2, 3, 4, or 5

 EMS will set suspense reason and dates based on FS issuance code.

Client will receive benefits of $45 plus $70 in the pickup run.

For Example C (variable basis of issuance with future month benefits), the action message reads:

INDIVIDUALS LISTED BELOW ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FROM 2/17/95 TO 5/25/95. FEBRUARY BENEFITS OF $45 AND MARCH BENEFITS OF $70 WILL BE SENT TOGETHER. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, YOUR APRIL BENEFIT WILL BE $70.

ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS:

ATI message for Variable Basis of Issuance (determ/eligible date is the 4th) will read:

YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FOOD STAMPS. YOUR FOOD STAMPS FOR (determ/eligible month and any other previous month) ARE (amount from retro field). WE ARE ALSO SENDING STAMPS FOR (current month) FOR (amount). UNLESS THERE ARE CHANGES, YOUR NEXT STAMPS WILL BE SENT IN (month after current month) FOR (amount).

TSM Edit for Entry That Will Cause the Variable Basis of Issuance Case to Error Reject

When entering variable basis of issuance cases on TSM, if the FS determ/eligible date is the 4th of the month, the transaction code is C or D and no entry is made in the Retro Benefit Field, the following error message will appear:

VARIABLE ISS-PUT RETRO FS-A49

There must be an amount in the retro field if the 4th is entered.

Issuance History - II And FS Displays

The II and FS Screens have been modified to indicate issuance of combined expedited allotments and variable basis of issuance food stamps.

Future month expedited food stamps: The II and FS screens will show the future benefit amount by using new issuance reason code F followed by the food stamp issuance code.

Example: If benefits were issued in the 1/23/95 daily with a FS issuance code of 4 and the system issued benefits of $37 for January and $90 for February, then the II display will show two issuances:

1/24/95 -$37 - S - E4

1/24/95 - $90 - S - F4

Variable Basis of Issuance: The II and FS screens will show the variable amount separately from the system computed amount. New issuance reason code VI is assigned to the variable month issuance. In Example B, shown on page 7 (regular variable basis of issuance with rollback) will appear:

2/18/95 - $50 - S -VI  (variable issuance)

2/18/95 - $114 - S   (system generated)

In Example C, given on page 8 (expedited variable basis of issuance with future benefits) the II and FS displays will appear:

2/18/95 - $45 - S - V2  (means Expedited Variable Issuance - the 2 is the issuance code     as entered on the transaction.)

2/18/95 - $70 - S - F2  (means Future Month issuance, no verifications - the 2 is the      issuance code as entered on the transaction)

However, Example A, given on page 6 (regular variable basis of issuance with no rollback) would appear showing only the variable issuance for February:

2/18/95 - $ 75 - S - VI  (means Variable Issuance)

IMPLEMENTATION

Policy related to postponed verifications and second month’s benefits is effective as of the date of this SR. With the effective date of this SR, EMS will be able to process dual month and variable basis of issuance food stamp cases, eliminating the need for manual issuances, in most cases.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

Individuals who qualify for expedited dual month issuances and who have not provided all verifications will be notified of the new policy.

TRAINING

No training is necessary to implement this change in policy. Questions will be handled by Regional Administrators on an individual basis.

POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

DISPOSITION

For all holders of the CAOH Manual, this SR must be retained in the front of CAOH A.1 because the CAOH Manual is being rewritten. These changes will be incorporated in the rewritten release and the SR may be destroyed when the rewrite is distributed.

For all others, this SR may be destroyed after its contents have been noted and its posting instructions carried out.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR only will be distributed according to the narrative SR distribution list for the Family Assistance Manual. This SR with the manual pages will be distributed to all holders of the FAM and CAOH.

OES/MGD