Category: Temporary Home

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: JANUARY 2024 COLA ADJUSTMENT OF SSA/SSI/VA/RR INCOME FOR ALL INCOME MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS EXCEPT MAGI MO HEALTHNET

MANUAL REVISION #
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX D
APPENDIX E
APPENDIX J
APPENDIX K

DISCUSSION:

In January 2024, all Social Security Administration (SSA), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Administration (VA), and Railroad Retirement (RR) participants will receive an 3.2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

The weekend of December 9, 2023, a mass adjustment will be completed in the eligibility system for Child Care (CC), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance (TA), and Non-MAGI MO HealthNet cases. Income increases for SSA, SSI, VA, and/or RR and other adjustments will be completed. Medicare Premium amounts and federal eligibility standards will also be updated.

Note: The 2024 COLA will have the following effect on SNAP cases:

• Increase in SNAP benefit reductions for January 2024.
• Increase in SNAP closures for December 2023.

SSI Increases

Non-MAGI Standards Adjustments

Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Premium Adjustment

The standard SMI, commonly known as Medicare Part B, premium will increase for 2024 to $174.70. Premiums for Medicare participants who pay less than the standard premium amount will not have an increase of more than the amount of the increase in Social Security benefit the individual received.

Additional Non-MAGI Program Increases

Resource Limits for Medicare Savings Programs (QMB/SLMB/QI-1)
For a single individual, the resource limit increases to $9,430 for a married couple, the resource limit increases to $14,130. There is no change in policy regarding how to determine available resources.

Minimum and Maximum Spousal Share
The 2024 minimum spousal share is $30,828. The new maximum spousal share is $154,140. Both amounts become effective for any assessment completed on or after January 1, 2024.

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
The SGA monthly amounts increase and are as follows:

• $2,590 for statutorily blind individuals
• $1,550 for non-blind individuals

Appendices Updates

The following appendices were updated to show the new amounts:

• MO HealthNet for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Manual
  • Appendix B – Maintenance Standards for Allotments
  • Appendix E – HCB Income Maximums
  • Appendix J – Eligibility Standards for Non-MAGI Programs
  • Appendix K – MO HealthNet eligibility for Non-MAGI Programs
• December 1973 Eligibility Requirements Manual
  • Appendix D – Substantial Gainful Activity

Adjustments by Program and Mass Adjustment Process

All programs will be adjusted according to program. Review FAMIS Resources for further information about the mass adjustment process.
Senate Bill 577 (2007) authorized the disregard for Social Security COLA increases for certain MO HealthNet (MHN) programs with income eligibility based on federal poverty level (FPL) until the next FPL adjustment in April. All SSA, SSI, VA, and RR income sources will be updated with the new income amount and verification code “CO” for COLA adjustment.

Note: For budget months prior to January 2024, do not use the “CO” – COLA verification code.

Note: Actions to reduce MHN benefits will take effect after an annual renewal is completed during the transition/unwinding period.

Reports with Actions Needed

Reports with action needed will be distributed to the appropriate teams. Follow the instructions in FAMIS Resources on how to process each type of report.

Request for Hearing/Continued Benefits

When a fair hearing is requested, follow current fair hearing request procedures.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Search “COLA” or “Adjustment” in FAMIS Resources for processing guidance.
• State Office will provide the SSA/SSI/VA/RR Needing Review report to designated staff.
• Allow MHN Policy for “CO” income verification to disregard SSA and SSI COLA Adjustments until the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Adjustment in April.

KE/cj

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: UPDATED ONLINE CHANGE REPORT FOR FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION (FSD) PROGRAMS

DISCUSSION:

The online change report was updated to make the form easily accessible to participants and to capture information allowing FSD to complete many changes without requesting more information from participants. Participants can access the change report online at mydss.mo.gov.

The updated online change report form has clearer defined questions on the left menu to help participants provide more complete information related to reporting a new pregnancy, requesting to explore a different MO HealthNet program, and claiming good cause to be exempt from pursuing child support.

Changes to the online change report now match changes made to the Change Report (IM-145) that were completed in September 2023.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Share with community partners.

KE/cj

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: INTRODUCING NEW FLYER FOR FSD UPLOAD PORTAL

FORM REVISION #
IM-4 UPLOAD
IM-4 UPLOAD (SPANISH)

DISCUSSION:

The FSD Document Upload Portal (IM-4 Upload) flyer is now available for Family Support Division (FSD) staff to provide to participants. This flyer has step-by-step instructions to explain to participants how they can submit documents to FSD electronically at https://mydssupload.mo.gov/UploadPortal.

English and Spanish versions are available in the public and internal forms manuals. The new flyer has been ordered and a supply will be mailed to each office for use in Resource Centers and for community outreach.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Share with community partners.

KE/cj

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: OCTOBER 2023 – QUARTERLY FORMS UPDATE

DISCUSSION:

Income Maintenance forms and documents are reviewed and revised quarterly and as necessary. New forms and documents are created as required or requested.

All new and revised IM forms show a revision date of 10/2023, unless otherwise stated. Revised IM forms with older revisions dates are now obsolete. Family Support Division (FSD) will accept obsolete forms until 12/31/2023.

New and Revised Forms available in the public and internal forms manuals:

New and Revised Forms available only to FSD staff in the internal forms manual:

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Begin using revised forms immediately.
• Discard and recycle blank obsolete forms.
• Share with community partners.

KE/cj

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: UPDATES TO IIVE STORAGE AND USE

MANUAL REVISION #
0110.025.10
1141.010.10
1805.020.05.05
1805.030.20.10

DISCUSSION:

Policy is updated to match current processes and clarify that copies of IIVEs cannot be stored in the case record. Policy manual updates are summarized below:

0110.025.10 Unearned Income in the General Information manual:

• Review IIVE to verify Social Security and/or SSI for all participants.

1805.020.05.05 Documents to Verify Citizenship for MO HealthNet:

• Note: Do NOT file IIVE screens in case record.

1805.030.20.10 Income Excluded Under MAGI in the Family Healthcare manual:

• Enter all sources of income into the eligibility system including excluded income.

1141.010.10 Incarceration Matches in the SNAP manual:

• Review IIVE for a TPQY Prisoner Response at SNAP application. The TPQY Prison Response provides the following:
  • Prisoner’s name, identifying information and status code
    • 02 – Non-pay inmate of public institution
    • 22 – Non-pay Inmate of correction institution
  • Confinement and release date,
  • Facility name and contact information,
  • Reporter and reported date

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/se

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: REVISED INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES (DSS) PROGRAMS

DISCUSSION:

DSS has revised flyers and brochures for numerous programs that are administered by the Family Support Division (FSD) or may be beneficial for FSD participants.

Revised flyers and brochures now utilize the new DSS logo and show a 7/2023 revision date.

FSD team members should utilize and distribute the revised flyers and brochures which are all IM-4 forms and can be found in the public and internal forms manuals.

Note: FSD staff should continue to use existing documents, but utilize revised documents when current office supply runs out. Information provided on the documents has not changed.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Begin using the new flyers and brochures when existing office supply runs out.

KE/cj

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: UPDATING INCIDENT RESPONSE FOR UNAUTHORIZED IRS DISCLOSURES IN THE GENERAL INFORMATION MANUAL

MANUAL REVISION #
0165.000.05

DISCUSSION:

Effective August 21, 2023, federal, state, and local agency partners will report improper inspection or disclosure of federal tax information (FTI) including data breaches, data incidents, and information spillage to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Office of Safeguards only. Agencies are no longer required to report improper inspections or disclosures to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).

General Information Manual section 0165.000.05 INCIDENT RESPONSE FOR UNAUTHORIZED IRS DISCLOSURES is updated to reflect this change.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/pm

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: DETERMINING CORRECT APPLICATION DATES FOR ALL PROGRAMS

DISCUSSION:

In a recent Program Access Review (PAR), the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) found Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications registered with incorrect application dates. This memo provides clarification in determining correct application dates for all programs.

Incorrect application dates can result in:

• benefit payment errors,
• incorrect eligibility begin dates,
• improper processing timeframes, and
• increases to the agency’s error rates for accuracy and timeliness, potentially impacting federal funding.

Application dates must be carefully evaluated during both registration and processing to ensure that the correct date is used.

Application Date vs Agency Received Date

Application dates are determined by the date and time that an application with the minimum required information is received by the agency. (See policy for program-specific requirements.)

• Applications received before 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday are considered as received on that date.
• Applications received outside of business hours (after 5:00 p.m., on a weekend, or on a holiday) are considered as received on the next business day.

Note: MO HealthNet (MHN) applications received by phone or online, including applications from the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM), are an exception. Regardless of the time of day or day of the week received, online and FFM applications are dated the day the application was successfully submitted and phone applications are dated the day that the telephonic signature was captured.

Identifying Date/Time of Receipt

With the exception of applications received through the Upload Portal, applications must be opened and viewed in order to see the received date.

Received date location examples:

• Upload Portal: Added On date in the Electronic Content Management system (ECM)

• Online/AEM (not MHN): Submitted Date Time on bottom of each page

• Mail: Date stamp

• Resource Center: Date stamp

• Fax: Receiving information on bottom or side of page

• MHN – Online, phone, FFM: MHN Application Case tab

When Multiple Applications are Received:

If more than one application is received for the same program, the first application received is the application to be registered.

Example: Two Temporary Assistance applications are found in the ECM, dated 9/12 and 9/14. The eligibility system shows that neither has yet been processed.

• • The 9/12 application is registered but both applications are reviewed during processing.

Registering the Correct Applicant:

Care must be taken to ensure that applications are registered under the correct applicant. Applications registered under an incorrect head of household cause delays for the applicant and could result in a breach of confidentiality for either party.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Review content and resources in the Application Registration row of FAMIS Resources.

KE/mn

FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: FSD.DOCUMENTS UPCOMING EMAIL ADDRESS DEACTIVATION

DISCUSSION:

As of October 1, 2023, FSD.Documents@dss.mo.gov will be deactivated and the sender will receive a bounce back response. Currently, an automatic response informs the sender beginning October 1st, 2023 documents will no longer be accepted through FSD.Documents@dss.mo.gov and provides additional resources to the sender.

Documents will continue to be accepted via:

• Upload: mydssupload.mo.gov
• Mail:
  • Family Support Division, PO Box 2700, Jefferson City, MO 65102
• Fax: 573-526-9400
• FSD Resource Center (dss.mo.gov/offices.htm)

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

KE/se