Category: Child Care Home

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT RATE INCREASE FOR ALL INCOME MAINTANENCE (IM) PROGRAMS

MANUAL REVISION #
APPENDIX J

DISCUSSION:

The state mileage rate used to calculate expenses for all IM programs increased from $.43 per mile to $.49 per mile effective 07/01/2021. Use the rate of $.49 per mile when calculating mileage expenses.

Eligibility system updates were completed on 07/21/2021 to reflect the rate increase. Appendix J of the MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind and Disabled manual has been updated to reflect the change.

Note: Final approval for the increased rate was received after July benefits were created. Affected cases have been adjusted to reflect this change for July 2021 and notices will be generated.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/nw

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  OBSOLETE FORMS REMOVED FROM DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES (DSS) FORMS MANUAL AND INCOME MAINTENANCE (IM) FORMS MANUAL

DISCUSSION:

The DSS Manuals IM Forms Manual (public site) and FSD Intranet IM Forms Manual (internal site) have both been updated to remove forms that are obsolete and no longer to be used by Family Support Division (FSD) staff.

Obsolete forms that were removed:

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Discontinue use of any forms shown.
• Discard any unused forms shown if paper copies are being stored.

KE/cj

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COMMON LAW MARRIAGE UPDATE FOR ALL INCOME MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS

MANUAL REVISION #
1100.010.00
1105.015.04.15
0205.025.00
1805.030.10.07
1013.000.00

DISCUSSION:

If a common law marriage was established in another state, each partner is considered a spouse in Missouri. Common law marriages cannot be initiated in Missouri.

EXAMPLE: Edward and Ana state they are common law spouses. Their marriage began in Kansas, where common law marriages can be established. Consider them spouses for eligibility purposes.

The following manual sections have been updated or created to reflect this information:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – 1100.010.00 Definitions and 1105.015.04.15 Mandatory Eligibility Unit Groups
• Temporary Assistance – 0205.025.00 Relationship of Payee to Child
• Family MO HealthNet – 1805.030.10.07 Relationships (NEW)
• MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled – 1013.000.00 Relationships

Child Care will continue to follow Temporary Assistance policy for specified relatives. Refer to 2010.010.00 Relationship of the Applicant to the Child for more information.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Send questions regarding common law marriages through normal supervisory channels.

KE/ers

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  TAX CREDIT CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) OF 2021

DISCUSSION:

The ARPA modified the provisions of several commonly used tax credits. Most of the changes are in effect only for 2021. The following tax credits are refundable, meaning the credit amount can be paid directly to the tax filer if his/her tax liability is $0.

Do not count advance monthly payments or lump sum refunds of a refundable tax credit as income or a resource for Income Maintenance programs. For programs that consider resources, count tax credit funds remaining after 12 months as a resource.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/ers

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  RETURNED MAIL FOR ALL INCOME MAINTENANCE (IM) PROGRAMS

MANUAL REVISION #

0240.010.20
0262.010.05
0262.010.10
0262.010.15
0262.010.20
0840.025.00
1140.005.50
1140.025.10.05
1885.020.00

DISCUSSION:

Manual revisions have been made to the MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (MHABD), Family MO HealthNet (MAGI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance (TA) policy manuals regarding returned mail. There has been no change to Child Care (CC) policy regarding returned mail.

United States Postal Service (USPS) stickers are placed on mail that is undeliverable. This information shows a forwarding Missouri address, a forwarding out of state address, or no forwarding address (unable to locate). Returned mail may be handled differently depending on the program and the information provided on the sticker.

To ensure consistency across all IM programs, the manual sections shown above have been created or revised. The following information summarizes changes made for each program.

Note: No adverse actions will be taken on any MO HealthNet cases during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

MHABD: A new manual section has been added to the MHABD policy manual which addresses returned mail received by the Family Support Division (FSD).

• 0840.025.00 Returned Mail

MAGI: The manual section below has been updated regarding returned mail received by FSD.

• 1885.020.00 Returned Mail

SNAP: Due to Simplified Reporting, no action can be taken when returned mail is received by FSD. The manual sections below have been updated.

• 1140.005.50 Address Changes
• 1140.025.10.05 Exemptions to Notice of Adverse Action

TA: The returned mail procedures outlined in this memorandum will change processes for TA cases. The TA manual outlines specific procedures for returned mail in relation to the Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) program and TA Drug Testing policy. The manual sections below related to returned mail and unable to locate have been updated to reflect changes in procedure when returned mail is received by FSD.

• TA Drug Testing Returned Mail Policy 

• • 0240.010.20 Unable To Locate

• MWA Returned Mail Policy 

• • 0262.010.05 Returned Mail With No Forwarding Address
  • 0262.010.10 Returned Mail With Forwarding Address
  • 0262.010.15 Returned Mail And Participant Resides At That Address
  • 0262.010.20 Returned Mail and Participant Resides Out Of State

CC: Due to Simplified Reporting, no adverse action can be taken when returned mail is received by FSD.

• 2030.035.00 Address Changes

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/nw

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: APPOINTING AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE (IM-6AR) LARGE PRINT AND SPANISH TRANSLATION FORMS ADDED TO THE FORMS MANUALS

FORM REVISION #
IM-6AR LP
IM-6AR SPANISH

DISCUSSION:

The IM-6AR with a revision date of 11/2019 has been converted to large print (IM-6AR LP) and translated into Spanish (IM-6AR Spanish). Both versions of the form are now available in the Department of Social Services (DSS) Forms Manual and the Income Maintenance (IM) Forms Manual.

This is NOT a new revision and no information has changed on the English version.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/cj

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19 ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENTS RESULTING FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT 2021 FOR ALL INCOME MAINTENANCE (IM) PROGRAMS

MANUAL REVISION #

0205.005.30.10

0210.015.35.40

0805.015.10

1025.015.01.02

1110.020.30

1115.015.90

1805.030.20.10

DISCUSSION:

Economic Impact Payments (EIP), also known as Stimulus Payments, were approved as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, 2021 (ARPA) which was signed into law on March 11, 2021.  The ARPA contains changes that affect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance (TA) Program, Child Care Subsidy (CC), and MO HealthNet (MHN) Programs.

Economic Impact Payments

U.S citizens and resident aliens will receive an EIP up to $1,400 for each individual and each qualifying child if:

• they are not a dependent of another taxpayer and
• have a work eligible Social Security number with Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) up to:
  • $75,000 for individuals
  • $112,500 for head of household filers and
  • $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns

Single filers with an AGI above $80,000, head of household filers with an AGI over $120,000, and joint filers with an AGI exceeding $160,000 will not receive a stimulus payment.

Eligible retirees and recipients of Social Security, Railroad Retirement, Disability or Veterans’ benefits as well as taxpayers who do not make enough money to normally file a tax return will receive a payment. This also includes those who have no income, as well as those whose income comes entirely from certain benefit programs, such as Supplemental Security Income benefits.

Retirees who receive either Social Security Retirement or Railroad Retirement benefits will also receive payments automatically.

MO HealthNet Non-MAGI Programs, SNAP, TA, and CC:

• Payments are excluded as income.
• Payments are excluded as a resource for the first 12 months from receipt.

NOTE: EIP payments reported in the month received will be entered as a resource. DO NOT enter as income in FAMIS. Any money left from an EIP 12 months after receipt will be counted as a resource.

Family MO HealthNet (MAGI) Programs:

• Payments are excluded as income.

NOTE: Make a note in the eligibility system regarding the amount received. The payment is not to be entered as income on the case. Example of note: Ms. Smith reported she received $1,400 EIP on 3/24/2021.

FAMIS Entries

If the EIP is reported as income in the month received, enter it as a resource on the SELFRES (FMWB) screen. DO NOT ENTER AS INCOME ON SELINC (FMX2). The excluded amount should always equal the total EIP when entering for the same month it was received along with any other excluded balances for that month. Use Code CV in the Excl Rsn field for the EIP or CB if multiple exclusion reasons exist. Please use the FAMIS Resource Guide (search “liquid resources”) for acceptable verification codes.

If the balance of the EIP is reported the month after receipt, exclude any remaining balance of the EIP in the accounts as CV following normal procedures for entering liquid resources.

Though the EIP amount authorized by the ARPA is different, please refer to IM-35 COVID-19 ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENTS RESULTING FROM THE CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT FOR THE MO HEALTHNET, FOOD STAMP, TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE AND CHILD CARE SUBSIDY PROGRAMS for guidance to capture the EIP income as an excluded resource.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/nw

FROM:  KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  COVID-19: MIXED EARNER UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION (MEUC) BENEFITS FOR ALL PROGRAMS

DISCUSSION:

On 12/27/2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) 2021 was signed.  The CAA contains provisions to address the public health emergency (PHE) and introduced MEUC, a new type of unemployment compensation. 

MEUC provides a $100 weekly benefit to individuals with combined earnings from regular employment and self-employment. MEUC can be received in combination with all other unemployment compensation types except for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). 

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was signed into law on March 11, 2021.  This act extended several temporary unemployment compensation types, including MEUC, until September 6, 2021.

See IM-02 COVID-19 Unemployment Compensation Updates Resulting From The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 for information on other types of unemployment compensation.

All Programs

Include/count payments from MEUC for ALL Income Maintenance programs including MO HealthNet, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance, and Child Care.

Important

No new income type was created for MEUC funds.  Enter MEUC using existing income selections for regular unemployment compensation.  Entries for Source Name Field in FAMIS and Employer Name field in MEDES must be exact: 

• In FAMIS, enter the gross income as unearned income (UI) and select UC-Unemployment Compensation/Insurance. In the Source Name Field, type MEUC.
  • Continue to make appropriate entries on Court Ordered Expense (FMXL/SUPEXP) to indicate child support expenses.
• In MEDES, select Unemployment Compensation/Insurance and enter the gross income.  In the Employer Name field, type MEUC. 

Income Entry

If regular unemployment compensation or another type of unemployment compensation is received in conjunction with MEUC, add each type as a separate income entry.

In the example below, the participant receives a gross amount of $503 per week- 

• The regular weekly amount is $103, which should be entered as regular unemployment.
• After deducting $103 in regular unemployment, $400 remains. $300 should be entered as FPUC.
• The remaining $100 should be entered as regular unemployment, with MEUC as the income source name.

This case will have 3 income entries; 2 of them will look like a regular Unemployment Compensation selection:

• FAMIS

• MEDES

Prior Quarter 

Payments from MEUC were not made prior to the week ending March 6, 2021. Do not budget income from MEUC for months prior to March 2021.

NOTE:  For Family MO HealthNet cases, use IMES to support self-attested income in reasonable compatibility decisions for countable unemployment compensation types, as outlined in the MEDES COVID-19 Self Attestation Guide.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/ers