Category: CHILD WELFARE MANUAL

IM-162 CLARIFICATION OF VETERANS’ BENEFIT INCOME AND UPDATE OF AGENT ORANGE SETTLEMENT FUND PAYMENTS FOR ALL PROGRAMS

Posted on

FROM:  REGINALD McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  CLARIFICATION OF VETERANS’ BENEFIT INCOME AND UPDATE OF AGENT ORANGE SETTLEMENT FUND PAYMENTS FOR ALL PROGRAMS

MANUAL REVISION #116
1600.010.15.15
1025.015.15
0410.015.10
0805.015.30
0805.015.10
0610.010.00
1805.030.20.10
1110.020.30
1115.015.85
2010.045.10.05
0210.015.35.40
0210.015.05

 

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform staff of updates to Veterans’ Benefits and Agent Orange Settlement Fund income in manual sections for the Temporary Assistance, MO HealthNet, Food Stamps, and Child Care programs. 

The funding for this settlement fund was created as a result of a class action lawsuit, Re: Agent Orange product liability litigation, M.D.L. No. 381 (E.D.N.Y).

The Agent Orange Settlement Fund closed in 1997. This unearned income source is no longer valid.

Updates have been made to explain benefits paid by the Veterans Administration (VA) to veterans with service-related disabilities include payments for disabilities due to exposure to Agent Orange.

Refer to the chart below to review specific manual sections updated as a result of these changes.

Program Policy # Update
Temporary Assistance 0210.015.05
  • Update – Agent Orange Aetna (AO no longer valid, fund closed in 1997).
  • Update – Agent Orange Veteran’s Benefits (AV no longer valid, use code VA for any Agent Orange related VA disability benefits).
  • Update – Veteran’s Benefits to show income code of (VA) also includes service related disabilities due to exposure to Agent Orange.
Temporary Assistance 0210.015.35.40
  • Update – Agent Orange Settlement Fund payments or payments received from any other fund established pursuant to the settlement in the Agent Orange product liability litigation. (Income no longer valid, fund closed 1997).
Food Stamps 1115.015.85
  • Update – Income Source code for VA benefits issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs related to exposure to Agent Orange.
Food Stamps 1110.020.30
  • Remove- Reference to Agent Orange Settlement Benefits.
Child Care 2010.045.10.05
  • Remove – Reference to Agent Orange as an excluded benefit.
MAGI 1805.030.20.10
  • Update – Clarification to #9, All Veterans Benefits, to include disabilities due to exposure to Agent Orange.
  • Update – Added clarification to #27, Agent Orange Aetna.  This settlement fund was closed in 1997.
MHABD 0805.015.10
0805.15.30
  • Update – Fund was closed in 1997.
  • Update-VA Benefits include payments from the Veterans Administration made to veterans with disabilities related to exposure to Agent Orange.
SAB 0410.015.10
  • Update-VA Benefits include payments from the Veterans Administration made to veterans with disabilities related to exposure to Agent Orange.
SNC 0610.010.00
  • Update – Fund was closed in 1997

 
December 1973 1025.015.15
  • Update-Fund was closed in 1997.
Gateway to Better Health 1600.010.15.15
  • Update – Fund was closed in 1997
  • Update-VA Benefits include payments from the Veterans Administration made to veterans with disabilities related to exposure to Agent Orange.

Required Action:

Due to these updates, the Unearned Income (UI) sources of Agent Orange AETNA (AO) and Agent Orange Veteran’s Benefits (AV) are no longer valid. Until changes are made in FAMIS, discontinue using income types AV and AO in FAMIS.  Use income type VA for all disability payments issued by the Veterans Administration to disabled veterans. In MEDES, discontinue using income types Agent Orange Aetna and Agent Orange Veterans Benefits.

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

RM/ers/plh/ja/jl

IM-154 PERSONAL FUNERAL TRUST ACCOUNTS AS A RESOURCE FOR THE MO HEALTHNET FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED (MHABD) PROGRAM 

Posted on

FROM:  REGINALD E. McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  PERSONAL FUNERAL TRUST ACCOUNTS AS A RESOURCE FOR THE MO HEALTHNET FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED (MHABD) PROGRAM                       

MANUAL REVISION #112

1030.020.00

1030.020.10

1030.020.10.15

1030.020.10.20

1030.020.20                               

 

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce Personal Funeral Trust (PFT) accounts as a resource for the MHABD program.

Missouri Law allows individuals to set up a PFT to pay for their future burial expenses.  These funds do not have to be connected to a specific funeral service provider, but are restricted to be used for burial or funeral expenses.

Funds up to $9999.99 in an irrevocable PFT account are not a countable resource.  Standard trust rules will apply for the amount of the trust above $9999.99. 

Note:  All trusts, including Personal Funeral Trusts, must be sent to the Program and Policy unit for an interpretation of policy.

Personal Funeral Trust accounts are entered into the eligibility system using the resource codes for Pre-need Burial Contracts so that the CSV exemption can be applied.  Please use the following codes on the SELFRES screen:

  • Class Code – Prepaid Burial (LP) and Type Code- Prepaid Burial (PB).
  • Detailed comments, including the clearance number, are essential to support the case decision.

The PFT account balance must be attested to or verified each year as part of the annual review process.  Please refer to MHABD manual section 1030.000.00 Available Resources (OAA and PTD) for information regarding when participant’s attestation is acceptable during the annual review process. 

 

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

RM/rr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IM-024 Introduction of the MAGI Prior Quarter Request for Information Form (IM-31A PQ MAGI)

Posted on

2018 Memorandums

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION
PO BOX 2320
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI

IM-#024, 03/05/2018

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  ALL FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION OFFICES
FROM:           PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT:     INTRODUCTION OF THE MAGI PRIOR QUARTER REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FORM (IM-31A PQ MAGI)
FORM REVISION #4

DISCUSSION:

This memorandum is to notify staff of the addition of the IM-31A PQ MAGI Prior Quarter Request for Information form to the IM Forms Manual. This form should be used to request prior quarter information that is not captured on the current IM-1SSL application.

Staff will need to indicate the calendar prior quarter months for which information is being requested:

EXAMPLE: 3 months ago = May 2017, 2 months ago = June 2017, 1 month ago = July 2017.

Because eligibility determinations for each prior quarter month are completed individually for each person, staff will need to fill in the names of participants who indicated a need for prior quarter coverage on the IM-1SSL.

The IM-31A PQ MAGI form is available in the Forms Manual.

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

PL/kp