Category: 2020

IM-102 COVID-19 JULY 2020 ADJUSTMENT TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) INTERVIEW WAIVER

Posted on

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19 JULY 2020 ADJUSTMENT TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) INTERVIEW WAIVER

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform staff that SNAP/Food Stamp telephone interviews will resume on July 1, 2020 for initial and recertification applications.  

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has approved Missouri the option of waiving all face-to-face interviews of the SNAP/Food Stamp Interview Waiver

(7 CFR 273.2(e)(2)(i)) through July 31, 2020. This waiver has allowed for temporary changes to the SNAP/Food Stamp Program in order to help keep Missourians safe and healthy during the COVID-19 health crisis.

The continued change is as follows:

  • Family Support Division (FSD) is not required to offer or grant a request for a face-to-face interview to any household at application or recertification.

Note: It is important to make a comment referencing COVID-19 on each case in which a phone interview was conducted in place of a requested face-to-face interview.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

KE/rw

IM-101 COVID-19 SUSPENSION OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) DRUG TESTING/TREATMENT TO EXPIRE

Posted on

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19 –  SUSPENSION OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) DRUG TESTING/TREATMENT TO EXPIRE

DISCUSSION:

Due to COVID-19, adjustments were made to the TA Program. These updates were outlined on Memo #30 posted April 04, 2020 and on Memo # 66 posted May 26, 2020.

Drug testing and drug treatment referrals will resume on July 1, 2020. All active TA participants who were deemed mandatory referrals for drug testing or treatment during the months of March – June 2020 will be referred after July 1, 2020.

Staff will continue to follow normal policy and procedures in entering participants’ answers to all drug questions in the FAMIS system.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

KE/plh

IM-100 INCIDENT RESPONSE MANUAL REVISION TO IM MANUAL LEGAL ASPECTS

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FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  INCIDENT RESPONSE MANUAL REVISION TO IM MANUAL LEGAL ASPECTS

MANUAL REVISION #48

0130.005.10.65  

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce a new section 0130.005.10.65 Incident Response  in the IM Legal Aspects Manual. This section provides guidance for staff when an unauthorized disclosure of confidential information occurs and the process to follow.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

KE/st    

IM-99 COVID-19 THIRD EXTENSION OF PANDEMIC SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (P-SNAP) EMERGENCY ALLOTMENTS

Posted on

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19 THIRD EXTENSION OF PANDEMIC SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (P-SNAP) EMERGENCY ALLOTMENTS

DISCUSSION:

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) allows for Emergency Allotments (EA) of supplemental benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/Food Stamps) to be issued to eligible SNAP households. The P-SNAP program raises a household’s SNAP/Food Stamp allotment to the maximum amount for the household size.

Supplemental benefits have been issued by the Family Support Division (FSD) for March, April, May, and June 2020 as part of the P-SNAP program. P-SNAP has been extended through July 2020. Beyond July 2020, participation in P-SNAP will be decided on a month to month basis during the COVID-19 health crisis.

SNAP households do not need to apply for P-SNAP. The supplemental benefit will be automatically added to the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.

Note: Households that already receive the maximum allotment for their household size will not have a benefit increase.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

 

KE/rw

IM-98 COVID-19 MISSOURI WORK ASSISTANCE (MWA), TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) ORIENTATION AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PLAN (PRP) UPDATES TO THE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) PROGRAM

Posted on

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19 MISSOURI WORK ASSISTANCE (MWA), TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) ORIENTATION AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PLAN (PRP) UPDATES TO THE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) PROGRAM

DISCUSSION:

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the Family Support Division (FSD) will continue to suspend MWA work requirements for TA participants through July 31, 2020. In addition, the completion of the TA Orientation and Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP) will continue to be waived while the work requirement is suspended. The procedure for processing TA cases during the MWA work requirement and TA Orientation suspension can be found in memo: IM-30 COVID-19 Temporary Updates to the Temporary Assistance (TA) Program.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

KE/hrp

IM-97 COVID-19 EXPIRATION OF FAMILY CRISIS HARDSHIP EXTENSION FOR TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA)

Posted on

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19 EXPIRATION OF FAMILY CRISIS HARDSHIP EXTENSION FOR TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA)

DISCUSSION:

Due to the national health emergency which was declared March 13, 2020 in response to COVID-19, adjustments were made to the TA Program. These updates were outlined in Memo #30 posted April 04, 2020 and in Memo # 66 posted May 26, 2020.

The Hardship Extensions provided due to COVID-19 will expire June 30, 2020.

Cases coded J – “Hardship extension referred to MWA” in the “Work Req Ind” field and 25-“Family Crisis” in the “Extension Rsn” field with a re-evaluation date of 06/12/20 will be updated to D – “Referred to MWA” automatically. These cases will then close for reason LIF “45 Month Lifetime Limit Has Been Reached”. Field staff should not have to make any entries for these cases.

Continue to process and follow instructions as outlined in Memo #66 posted May 26, 2020 for instructions on referring any applicants for the Hardship Extension through June 30, 2020. If they are ineligible based on all other factors, including meeting the lifetime limit for the month of July, they should be ineligible for TA from July forward.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

KE/plh

IM-96 COVID-19 WORK REQUIREMENTS RESUME FOR ABLE BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDANTS (ABAWD)

Posted on

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19 WORK REQUIREMENTS RESUME FOR ABLE BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDANTS (ABAWD)

DISCUSSION:

Effective August 1, 2020 ABAWDs will be subject to work requirements.  Good cause for noncompliance due to COVID-19 will no longer be allowed.  The ABAWD work requirement screen (WORKREQ) will appear in the application flow as before. 

Work requirements or exemptions must be assessed for anyone considered an ABAWD.  ABAWDs will be subject to the 80 hours per month work requirement or three (3) non-work month time limit.    

Effective July 31, 2020 cases that have used all their non-work months will close, as they would have prior to the COVID-19 crisis.

ABAWDS will be notified of these changes. Additional information regarding notices and coding is forthcoming.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

KE/cs

IM-95 COVID-19 UPDATED MO HEALTHNET (MHN) COVERAGE FOR POSITIVE COVID-19 DIAGNOSIS

Posted on

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19 UPDATED MO HEALTHNET (MHN) COVERAGE FOR POSITIVE COVID-19 DIAGNOSIS

DISCUSSION:

IM Memo #20, dated March 25, 2020, introduced coverage for individuals testing positive for COVID-19, eligibility requirements, and the process for approving coverage. The process has changed, due to clarification of requirements from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Approval based solely on a COVID-19 positive diagnosis is no longer allowed. Individuals must meet the eligibility guidelines for permanent and total disability.

Effective immediately, medical information must be submitted to the Medical Review Team (MRT) for eligibility determination prior to approval for MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind, or Disabled (MHABD) coverage, based on COVID-19 diagnosis.

MRT will make the determination if the individual meets the medical eligibility requirements for approval.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
  • Submit all COVID-19 positive applications to MRT for medical determination.

 

KE/vb

IM-94 MO HEALTHNET FOR THE AGED, BLIND AND DISABLED (MHABD) MANUAL AND FORM REVISION- MEDICAL DEDUCTIONS WHEN DETERMINING SURPLUS

Posted on

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  MO HEALTHNET FOR THE AGED, BLIND AND DISABLED (MHABD) MANUAL AND FORM REVISION- MEDICAL DEDUCTIONS WHEN DETERMINING SURPLUS

MANUAL REVISION #47

0815.030.10.15                               

DISCUSSION:

MHABD manual section 0815.030.10.15 Medical Expenses When Determining Surplus, has been revised. 

Health Insurance Premiums:  Health insurance premiums for the institutionalized participant paid by the participant or his/her community spouse may be allowed as medical deductions.  The manual has been revised to clarify that if it cannot be determined what portion of the insurance premium is for the institutionalized participant, allow the total premium.

Post Eligibility Medical Expenses:  Requests for a reduction in surplus affect the participant’s budgeted expenses and these requests must be made by the participant or their Authorized Representative.  Requests for reduction in surplus are not required to be in writing. 

If the participant prefers that the nursing home or other provider make this request on their behalf, the participant or their Authorized Representative can sign the Post Eligibility Medical Expense Budgeting Request form (IM-63 PEME) giving FSD permission to accept this request from the provider.     

New forms have been created for the Post Eligibility Medical Expense (PEME) reduction in surplus determination.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

KE/rr