Category: Food Stamp Home

IM-065 – VERIFICATION OF REGAINED ELIGIBILITY FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  VERIFICATION OF REGAINED ELIGIBILITY FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM

MANUAL REVISION #43

1105.035.35

 

DISCUSSION:

This memo provides clarification to the Food Stamp Policy Manual section, 1105.035.35 Identifying and Tracking Non-Work Months.   

The policy manual has been updated with CLARIFICATION information regarding how to address verifications when determining regained eligibility.

If the individual claims yes to, “Have you or will you have worked or participated in a work program for 80 hours in a 30 day period?”, enter a “Y” on the Training/Work Requirements (FMMR) screen.

  • When “Y” is entered on the FMMR screen, expedite benefits are allowed to be issued when otherwise eligible.

Verification that the individual has regained Food Stamp eligibility is required prior to issuing ongoing benefits.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

PL/ks

IM-062 – FOOD STAMP DEPENDENT CARE EXPENSE CLARIFICATION

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  FOOD STAMP DEPENDENT CARE EXPENSE CLARIFICATION

MANUAL REVISION #41

1115.035.10

 

DISCUSSION:

This memorandum is to clarify Food Stamp (FS) expense for a sliding scale fee when there is a dependent care case. 

When a child is authorized to a provider on a Child Care (CC) case and has a sliding scale fee, the sliding scale fee should be included as an expense for the FS case. 

  • Include the sliding scale fee expense when the child is authorized to a dependent care provider.
  • The sliding scale fee expense does not need to be reported by the Eligibility Unit (EU) before allowing the expense.
  • Do not include a sliding scale fee expense if the EU does not incur  a sliding scale.
  • Include dependent care cost that the EU incurs or is billed by the provider.

NOTE:  Review and include mileage or transportation expense for travel to and from the dependent care provider.

Dependent Care is verified by Client’s Statement (CS) unless it is otherwise questionable or inconsistent information is being reported.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
  • Review policy updates for further clarification and examples.

 

PL/ks

IM-059 – INTRODUCTION OF THE REQUEST TO WITHDRAW OR CLOSE FORM

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  INTRODUCTION OF THE REQUEST TO WITHDRAW OR CLOSE FORM

 FORM REVISION #16

REQUEST TO WITHDRAW OR CLOSE

INSTRUCTIONS TO WITHDRAW OR CLOSE

 

DISCUSSION:

This memorandum is to notify staff of the addition of the Request to Withdraw or Close Form and instructions to the IM Forms Manual.  This form should be used in the event that a participant requests to withdraw his/her application or close a case.  There are also fields to allow a participant to remove a person from an application or case.

Staff should review the form with the participant making the request and assist the participant in completing the form.  Indicate any specific instructions from the participant in the space provided or attach additional sheets, if necessary.

EXAMPLE:  Mrs. Jones would like to close her spend down coverage, but continue receiving SLMB.

Use this form for in-person contacts with participants only.  Do not mail the form to a participant.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

PL/ers

IM-055 – ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS UNIT REORGANIZATION

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS UNIT REORGANIZATION

DISCUSSION:

The Division of Legal Services reorganized the counties served by the Administrative Hearings Unit (AHU).  Attached is a listing of Counties Served per Regional Administrative Hearings Office.

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

PL/vb

IM-042 – TRUST SUBMISSION ON REQUEST FOR INTERPRETATION (IM-14)

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  TRUST SUBMISSION ON REQUEST FOR INTERPRETATION (IM-14)

 

MANUAL REVISION #30

1025.015.04

1025.015.04.01.01

1025.015.04.01.02 

 

DISCUSSION:

Income Maintenance manual sections have been updated with new instructions for submitting trusts for review by Program & Policy.

Submit each Trust to Program & Policy, on a separate IM-14 through proper supervisory channels.   Supervisors will submit through SharePoint.

Do not send to FSD.IM14@dss.mo.gov, as this email is no longer monitored. 

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

PL/vb                                                       

IM-040 – IRS NOTICE LOG and IRS NOTICE LOG INSTRUCTIONS

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FROM: REGINALD E. McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  IRS NOTICE LOG and IRS NOTICE LOG INSTRUCTIONS 

 

DISCUSSION:

Requests for Interpretation of Policy (IM-14), or policy clearances, were originally forms sent to Program and Policy staff regarding the application of program policy to specific cases. This is now an electronic process.

  • General: For MAGI programs only
  • Case Specific: For all Income Maintenance programs

General requests for interpretation are meant to address trends of case issues that staff are seeing or questions about how to apply policy to MEDES system functionality.  These clearances often include a “team” approach with MAGI Program and Policy staff working with the Training Unit and MEDES system subject matter experts to come up with responses that may be applied across similar cases or system issues.

Case specific requests for interpretation are submitted when field staff have questions on how to apply policy to a specific case situation. These are reviewed only by Program and Policy staff and only regard how policy impacts a specific case. Because the responses to these Requests for Interpretation are based on the information for a specific case and policy that is in place at the time the case is reviewed, these clearances must NOT be applied to other cases.

Keep the following items in mind when submitting a Request for Interpretation:

  • Specific references to the policy manuals and system user guides are always included in a policy clearance request. With the exception of trusts and annuities, staff must ALWAYS consult available resources before submitting a Request for Interpretation.
  • All pages of all relevant documents must be attached to the clearance request in order to receive a policy response.
    • Policy staff cannot provide a response when pages of submitted documents are missing or some documents are not submitted at all.
    • Policy staff will not search through the SharePoint or the Electronic Content Management System (ECM) to find missing information.
  • Requests for Interpretation of Policy must always be submitted through supervisory channels to the Policy and Procedure Collaboration Portal. Only supervisors or managers may submit new general or case specific Requests for Interpretation of policy.
  • Requests for Interpretation are always sent for:
    • Trusts: These clearances are assigned a “T” number
    • Annuities: These clearances are assigned a “A” number
    • In cases when the reasonable opportunity exceeds 90 days
    • MO HealthNet Undue Hardship Waiver Requests
  • Subject lines for Requests for Interpretation of policy should include information about the topic of the clearance, such as, but not limited to:
    • Participant’s last name
    • “Income Counting” for income questions
    • “QIT” for Medicaid Qualifying Income Trusts
    • “MSNT” for MidWest Special Needs Trusts
    • “ARCare” for ARCare Trusts
    • “Spend Down” for clearances regarding spend down expenses
  • Requests for Interpretation are internal documents and not to be shared with participants or other outside entities. Case comments must only include a brief summary of the clearance response, and the clearance number.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
  • Refer to Policy and Procedure site instructions for information on how to enter Requests for Interpretation of Policy.

 

EMAIL-IM-#40

RM/kp/mc

IM-038 – ABLE BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS (ABAWD) RESET FOOD STAMP POLICY UPDATE

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  ABLE BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS (ABAWD) RESET FOOD STAMP POLICY UPDATE

MANUAL REVISION #27

1105.035.00

 

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memo is to inform staff of an update to the Food Stamp Manual regarding resetting of ABAWD non-work months every 36 months.  This manual update is not a change in policy.  Non-work months will reset for ABAWDS for January 2019 and they may be eligible for 3 non work months again if all other eligibility criteria are met.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

PL/cs

IM-033 – UPDATE OF 1619 THRESHOLD AMOUNT

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  UPDATE OF 1619 THRESHOLD AMOUNT

MANUAL REVISION #24

0850.005.20

Appendix J

 

DISCUSSION:

The threshold amount established by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to determine eligibility under Section 1619 of the Social Security Act has increased from $3,099 monthly to $3,141 monthly, effective January 1, 2019.

 

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

 

PL/vb

IM-020 – WAIVER OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING DISQUALIFICATION CONSENT AGREEMENT

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT:  WAIVER OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING DISQUALIFICATION CONSENT AGREEMENT

FORM REVISION #6
IM-161

DISCUSSION:

The IM-161 WAIVER OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING DISQUALIFICATION CONSENT AGREEMENT had a typo in the heading that states “IF A OR BE IS CHECKED”; this has been corrected to A or B.

NECESSARY ACTION:

Review this memorandum with staff that would be sending out Medical Review Team packets or answering questions regarding the packet or assisting participants in completing the packet.

PL/st

IM-007 – FOOD STAMP STUDENT ELIGIBILITY POLICY UPDATE

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FROM:  PATRICK LUEBBERING, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: FOOD STAMP STUDENT ELIGIBILITY POLICY UPDATE

MANUAL REVISION #5
1135.025.00 – STUDENTS IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memo is to inform staff of the update to Food Stamp policy 1135.025.00 STUDENTS IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION to clarify student eligibility.

The updates explain Eligible Student codes on the EDINFO (FMAJ) screen and when it is necessary to verify student status of part-time, half-time and full-time. SkillUp is also clarified.

NECESSARY ACTION:

  • Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

PL/cs