SR 09-26 Dated 07/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

 

DFA SIGNATURE DATE:

June 29, 2009

FROM:

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DFA Terry R. Smith

AT (OFFICE):

Division of Family Assistance

TO:

DFA Supervisors

District Office Managers of Operations

 

SUBJECT:

Termination of Death and Disposal Payments for Individuals Who Die While Receiving Any Category of Financial Assistance; Obsoletion of Form 13, Reimbursement of Death Expenses, and Its Associated Instructions

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2009

 

 

SUMMARY

 

This SR releases the termination of payments of up to $750 towards the funeral and burial or cremation expenses for individuals who die while receiving any category of financial assistance. Revisions to RSA 167:3-c, III and RSA 167:11, precipitated by state budget reductions, has resulted in the loss of legislative authority to cover these expenses. As a result of this policy change, Form 13, Reimbursement of Death Expenses, and its associated instructions, are obsolete with the release of this SR.

 

FORMER POLICY

NEW POLICY

Individuals who died while receiving any category of financial assistance were eligible for up to $750 towards funeral and burial or cremation expenses if certain conditions were met.

The Department no longer offers payments towards funeral and burial or cremation expenses for individuals who die while receiving any category of financial assistance.

 

POLICY

 

Payments up to $750 towards funeral and burial or cremation expenses are no longer provided for individuals who die while receiving any category of financial assistance. As a result of this policy change, Form 13, Reimbursement of Death Expenses, is no longer needed, so the Form and its associated instructions are obsolete with the release of this SR.

 

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

 

No New HEIGHTS changes were required for this change, as the process was all completed manually.

 

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

 

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

 

Section 705.01  Outstanding Expenses Covered by Last Payment

Section 705.03  Funeral and Disposal Expenses

Section 705.05  Conditions for Eligibility

Section 705.07  Method of Payment

Section 705.09  Funeral Director Responsibilities

Section 705.11  Required Verification

 

Revised Adult Assistance Manual Topics

 

Section 701.01  Outstanding Expenses Covered by Last Payment

PART 703  FUNERAL AND DISPOSITION EXPENSES

Section 703.01  Conditions for Eligibility

Section 703.03  Method of Payment

Section 703.05  Funeral Director Responsibilities

Section 703.07  Required Verification

 

IMPLEMENTATION

 

The policies released in this SR are effective July 1, 2009.

 

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

 

No special client notification is planned. The policies released in this SR were discussed with an individual in the Funeral Director’s Association in early June.

 

TRAINING

 

No special training is planned.

 

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

 

Remove and Destroy

Insert

 

Forms Manual

 

 

 

DFA Form 13, Reimbursement of Death Expenses, SR 05-07/December, 2005

2-Part NCR

None

DFA Form 13(i), Instructions for Form 13,

SR 05-07/December, 2005

1 sheet

None

 

DISPOSITION

 

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line manuals.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for Division of Family Assistance policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DFA/LIBRARY, effective August 3, 2009. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Adult Assistance, Family Assistance, and Forms Manuals.

 

DFA/JBV:s

 

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CERTIFICATE OF DESTRUCTION

I certify that all copies of Form 13, dated 12/05, SR 05-07, have been destroyed.

 

District Office Manager of Operations:                

 

District Office                       

 

Return this certificate to the DFA Policy Unit, 129 Pleasant St, Concord, NH 03301, after the instructions in the SR have been carried out.