FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: UPDATE TO CROWDFUNDING EXAMPLE FOR MODIFIED ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME (MAGI) METHODOLOGY
MANUAL REVISION #
1805.030.20.10
MAGI manual section 1805.030.20.10 Income Excluded Under MAGI has updated examples to clarify when the income from a crowdfunding event is considered countable or excluded in the MAGI budget.
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FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONS DOCUMENT ADDED TO THE FORMS MANUAL FOR THE CURRENT AND DISCHARGED DRUG CONVICTION EXCEPTION VERIFICATION FORMS
FORM REVISION #
IM-367/IM-368 Instructions
Instructions have been added to the internal and public forms manual for the Current Probation and Parole/Court Compliance Drug Conviction Exception Verification (IM-367) and the Discharged Parolee Drug Conviction Exception Verification (IM-368) forms.
The instructions are combined for both forms as both work the same way. Due to system limitations, the IM-367 and the IM-368 must be downloaded and used directly in Adobe Acrobat (Reader or Pro) in order to function. Please follow normal software request procedures if Adobe Acrobat is not already installed on your computer.
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FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: CORRECTION TO APPENDICES A AND D IN THE FAMILY MO HEALTHNET (MAGI) MANUAL
MANUAL REVISION #
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX D
Appendices A and D in the MAGI manual are updated to correct a typographical error on the 153% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) row.
• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
KE/ers
FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: YOUR RIGHTS AS A FOOD STAMP APPLICANT/PARTICIPANT (IM-31B) FORM UPDATED
FORM REVISION #
IM-31B
Your Rights as a Food Stamp Applicant/Participant (IM-31B) form has been renamed to Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Household (IM-31B). The form has been redesigned to be easier to review with a participant. SNAP household responsibilities and SNAP household reporting requirements were added.
Reviewing the IM-31B with an applicant during a SNAP interview will meet the requirements in SNAP manual section 1120.005.10 Explanation of Rights and Responsibilities. The IM-31B has been added to the internal and public forms manual.
• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
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FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: CLARIFICATION OF CLOSING ACTION DATES AND APPLICATION DUE DATES IN THE MO HEALTHNET FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED (MHABD) MANUAL
MANUAL REVISION #
0835.010.00
The MHABD manual has been updated to clarify the timeframes allowed in the MHABD cancel closing and cancel rejection policies.
When a participant provides ALL of the missing information that caused the case to close, within 30 days of the date the closing action is complete, the closing can be canceled.
The closing action is considered complete on the date the case closed, not the date the coverage ends. For some MHABD programs a case may close on a particular date with coverage continuing through the end of the month or the end of the following month. The Action Notice (FA-460 or IM-33) notifies the participant of the date the case closed, and the date coverage ends.
When reviewing the eligibility system, the action is considered completed on the date listed on the EU Action Log (EULOG/FM40) screen under the STATUS DATE for the particular eligibility determination with status of AUC.
If the case closed due to information that was not provided during a request to add a person who is requesting coverage or to add a category of coverage to an active MHABD case and that information is later provided, in addition to pursuing a cancel closing of the case, ensure that the request for coverage continues to be processed if information was provided within the appropriate cancel rejection timeframes.
NOTE: A new add a person request will need to be registered using the original application date.
A cancel rejection can be pursued for applications that were rejected due to agency error, failure to provide required information, and failure to cooperate.
Cancel rejection policy has been relocated to follow the policy regarding application processing timeframes. Manual section 0835.000.00 Prompt Disposition has been renamed 0835.000.00 Application Processing Timeframes for MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Programs. MHABD manual section 0820.020.05.10 is now obsolete. The policy labeled Canceling a Rejection has been moved to MHABD manual section 0835.010.00.
MHABD applications rejected due to failure to provide requested information or failure to cooperate can have the rejection canceled if ALL information is provided by the application due date. Due dates are referenced in MHABD manual section 0835.000.00 Application Processing Timeframes for MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Programs.
Policy regarding canceling the rejection of a request to add a person or add a category of coverage to an active MHABD case has been added to MHABD Manual Section 0835.010.00 Canceling a Rejection.
The MHABD Cancel Reject/Cancel Close Chart is available on the IM Training intranet page.
KE/rr
FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: UPDATES TO INCOME AND DEDUCTION SECTIONS IN THE FAMILY MO HEALTHNET (MAGI) MANUAL
MANUAL REVISION #
The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce updates to the following income and deductions sections in the MAGI manual. Updates include formatting changes and specific changes to the following sections:
1805.030.05 Income Evidence is updated to include sections regarding excluded income types and recording notes;
1805.030.20.05 Income Included Under MAGI is updated to include severance pay, fishing income, additional information about disability benefits, and additional information about Social Security benefits;
1805.030.20.10 Income Excluded Under MAGI is updated to include Crowdfunding Account information that was erroneously removed, remove severance pay, and provide additional information about disability benefits;
1805.030.20.15 Allowable Deductions is partially rearranged for clarity and updated with current annual deduction limits;
1805.030.25.10 Patterns of Income is updated with a clarification to use the eligibility system to convert income whenever possible; and
1805.035.00 Adding Income Comments to Evidence is updated with the addition of comment/note examples.
KE/ers
FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: REVISION OF MAGI HOUSEHOLD COMPOSTION FOR TAX FILERS SECTION IN THE MO HEALTHNET FOR FAMILIES (MAGI) MANUAL
MANUAL REVISION #
1805.030.10.10
Section 1805.030.10.10 MAGI Household Composition for Tax Filers is updated to clarify separated individuals do not count in one another’s MAGI household.
KE/ers
FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: COVID-19 PANDEMIC SNAP REPLACEMENT BENEFIT POLICY
The purpose of this memo is to inform staff how to replace COVID-19 Pandemic SNAP benefits due to a household misfortune. COVID-19 P-SNAP benefit have been issued statewide. Most households have received additional benefits taking them to the maximum for their household size. FAMIS limits replacements to one month’s normal allotment of benefits
The additional P-SNAP benefits are also eligible for replacement due to household misfortune. To issue replacement benefits in addition to the normal monthly allotment, it will be necessary to issue a separate issuance. FAMIS only allows one replacement issuance per day, the additional P-SNAP replacement must be issued the following day.
NOTE: In some cases, it may take more than two issuances due to the normal monthly allotment and amount of replacement request.
For example, client normally receives $90 and received an additional $104 P-SNAP benefit (displaying as DSU) bringing them to the maximum of $194. There was a power outage destroying $194 worth of food purchased with benefits. Client completes a Request for Replacement for $194. Issuing the replacements will require a replacement issuance of the $90, the usual issuance, and the next day issue another $90, then the next day issue the remaining $14 to replace the lost $194.
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FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: COVID-19 TEMPORARY UPDATES TO THE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE (TA) PROGRAM
On March 13, 2020, a national health emergency was declared in response to COVID-19. Due to this emergency, the Family Support Division (FSD) recognizes that some Temporary Assistance (TA) eligibility factors may be difficult to satisfy due to unavailability or other hardships. Below are three (3) temporary policy updates being implemented to assist TA applicant/participants.
45 Month Lifetime Limit Extension
FSD is extending TA benefits to Forty Eight (48) months through Hardship Extensions. Any participant that is due to close for meeting the Forty Five (45) month Lifetime Limit and do not qualify for any exemptions during the months of March, April and May 2020 will receive the Hardship Extension.
Hardship Extensions will be completed through system updates for all currently active participants that have reached or will reach their 45-month lifetime limit in the months of March, April, and May 2020. The COMPACT screen will be updated to show these participants as J-“Hardship extension referred to MWA” in the “Work Req Ind” field and 25-“Family Crisis” in the “Extension Rsn” field. These will have a re-evaluation date of 05/15/20.
FSD staff processing TA applications received March 1 – May 31, 2020 will follow normal procedures when a client may be eligible for this hardship extension with the exception of the temporary changes below due to the COVID019 crisis:
This update will be re-evaluated at the end of May.
Drug Testing and Drug Treatment Referrals
FSD is suspending all mandatory drug testing and treatment referrals. FSD staff will not change any process in entering an application in the Family Assistance Management Information System (FAMIS) based on the clients’ answers to the drug test screening question and the waiver for drug treatment in lieu of a drug test question.
FSD staff will continue to follow TA Policy, 0240.000.00 Temporary Assistance Drug Test Requirements. Participants that are mandatory for drug testing or treatment will still be referred after the COVID-19 Health Emergency is over.
Participants that received the following disqualifications with a violation date of 03/01/20 were end dated with code of SNI – “Sanction Not Imposed”.
DNS – DID NOT SHOW UP FOR DRUG TEST
6NS – DID NOT SHOW-UP FOR DRUG TEST-6 MOS
TRP – FAILURE TO PARTICIPATE IN MANDATORY TREATMENT
These participants will be re-referred to start the process over once the COVID-19 crisis is over.
This update will be re-evaluated at the end of May.
MWA Work Requirements
FSD is suspending MWA work requirements for TA participants for 90 days. In addition, the completion of the TA Orientation and Personal Responsibility Plan (PRP) is waived for the length of time in which the work requirement is suspended.
Those cases that are for WRF sanctioned applicants should continue to be referred. There are no changes for FSD Staff in FAMIS. The MWA contractors will implement a process that will ensure sanctioned applicant cases are not rejected due to not completing the needed hours.
ITSD will be prohibiting any work requirement case sanctions (codes WR5 or WRF) from being activated in FAMIS during the specified time period. FSD staff are instructed to not act to end or delete any of these sanctions in FAMIS at this time.
The work requirement will be re-evaluated at the end of May.
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FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: UPDATE TO THE INCOME MAINTENANCE (IM) MANUAL FAX POLICY
MANUAL REVISION #04
The General Information section of the IM Manual has been updated. Section 0107.010.10 Fax Policy has been updated to include the policy on Safeguarding Federal Tax Information (FTI). This policy is effective immediately.
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