M E M O R A N D U M

IM-168  12/11/02  JANUARY 2003 ADJUSTMENTS TO FOOD STAMP CASES
DUE TO INCREASES IN SSA AND SSI


SUBJECT:
JANUARY 2003 ADJUSTMENTS TO FOOD STAMP CASES DUE TO INCREASES IN SSA AND SSI
DISCUSSION:
In January 2003, all Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) participants will receive a 1.4% cost of living adjustment.  A mass adjustment of food stamp cases for these increases will occur the weekend of December 14, 2002.  Adjustments will be made by matching to the BENDEX files or by increasing the SSA and/or SSI amount by 1.4%.

This memorandum addresses the Legacy process and the FAMIS process, including county manual adjustments for each process.

NEW AMOUNT OF SSI
 

 
AMOUNT
 INCREASE
     
Individual in own household
$552.00
 $ 7.00
     
Couple in own household $829.00 $12.00
     
Individual in household of another $368.00 $ 4.66
     
Couple in household of another $552.67 $ 8.06
     
Essential person/own home $276.00 $ 3.00

CUTOFF DATES

Any case that is active by the end of the day on December 13, 2002, with a certification ending January 2003 or later will be included in the adjustment.

For any food stamp application processed after December 13, 2002, the worker must compute the net adjusted income using the new SSA and/or SSI amounts.  These cases are NOT included in the mass adjustment.

If the adjustments are not completed by the morning of December 16, 2002, the food stamp transactions in Legacy and FAMIS will be unavailable until the adjustments are completed.

LEGACY PROCESS

On Monday, December 16, 2002, Legacy screens will show the updated case data for the mass adjustments.  If a Legacy case is adjusted, FCAS will show case action code "07" and  reason code "66".  The new SSA and SSI amounts will be displayed in the SSA and SSI fields on the individual data screen.  If a Legacy case is closed, FCAS will show action code "03" and reason code "67".

NOTICES

BENDEX printouts will be mailed to the counties on any food stamp case with an SSA amount.  The county staff may use the amount of SSA shown on the BENDEX printouts for verification purposes.

All food stamp eligibility units (EUs) whose benefits are being reduced will receive a notice.  A copy of the Legacy notice is shown below.
 
 

 

REDUCTION NOTICE TO FOOD STAMP PARTICIPANTS

In January 2003, you or someone in your food stamp household will get a raise in Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income.  You will get less food stamp benefits beginning in January 2003.  Your food stamps will be cut by about $1 for every $3 increase in Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income check.

You have a right to a fair hearing about this cut in your food stamp benefits.  You can ask for a fair hearing if you think the Division of Family Services made a mistake when they cut your food stamps.  You can also ask that your food stamp benefits not be cut while you are waiting for your hearing.  If it is decided the Division of Family Services was right, you will have to pay back the extra food stamps you receive while waiting for your hearing.  If you want a hearing, contact your local Division of Family Services office.  Get in touch with them within 10 days of getting this notice.
 

Food stamp EUs whose income exceeds the appropriate income maximum due to the increased SSA and/or SSI will receive a closing notice.  A copy of the Legacy notice is shown below.
 
 

CLOSING NOTICE

In January 2003, you or someone in your food stamp household will get a raise in Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income.  This raise in your household's monthly income is too much for you to keep on getting food stamp benefits.  Your food stamp benefits will stop as of December 31, 2002.

You have a right to a fair hearing about this closing.  You may request a hearing if you think the Division of Family Services made a mistake and was wrong to close your case.  You can ask that you keep on getting food stamp benefits while you wait for your fair hearing.  If it is decided the Division of Family Services did not make a mistake when they closed your case, you will have to pay back the food stamp benefits you receive while waiting for your hearing.  If you want to request a hearing, contact your local Division of Family Services office.  Get in touch with them within 10 days of getting this notice.
 

Legacy EUs whose benefits are not adjusted will not receive a notice.

MASS ADJUSTMENT BY STATE OFFICE

The new amount of SSA shown on the BENDEX file is used to adjust the case.  If SSA income is shown on the case but not on BENDEX, the SSA amount is increased by 1.4%. 

To adjust for the SSI increase, the existing SSI amount is increased by 1.4%.

If the food stamp EU receives both SSA and SSI, the SSA amount will be adjusted using the amount shown on the BENDEX file.  The SSI amount will be adjusted by the difference between the SSA increased benefit and the new SSI maximum plus $20.

If the SMI premium is on the BENDEX file, Legacy assumes the existing medical expense in FSU5 is correct and adds the difference between the previous BENDEX file and the current BENDEX file to the medical expense field in Legacy. 

EXAMPLE:  The previous BENDEX showed $54.00 SMI premium.  The new BENDEX shows $58.70 SMI premium.  Legacy adds the difference ($4.70) to the existing medical expense in FSU5. 

If the worker had not previously entered a medical expense, only $4.70 will show.

Changes in Temporary Assistance or General Relief grants, resulting from these adjustments, will be included in the food stamp adjustments.  If the Temporary Assistance or General Relief case is closed, the grant will be removed from the food stamp budget.

COUNTY MANUAL ADJUSTMENTS

Manually adjust cases not in active status at the time of the adjustments.

Legacy will generate reports of active cases not adjusted or requiring review.  Review cases on the following listings to determine whether the worker needs to take action: 

  • Unearned Income was Greater than BENDEX Amount - Food Stamp Cases Requiring Worker Adjustment, Report Number FFSSP208-01 (Legacy)
    This listing contains cases which show an unearned income code of "4" (Railroad Retirement) and the amount of unearned income equals or is greater than the amount shown on BENDEX.
     
  • FS SSA/SSI Adjustments - Cases Requiring Caseworker Review, Report Number FFSSP203-02 (Legacy)
This listing contains active food stamp cases with an active GR cash case ("R" type of assistance) with vendor level of care ("N").  These GR cash cases must be reviewed and manually adjusted.  Individuals with a vendor level of care may be ineligible for food stamps.  Review the case and determine if action should be taken to remove the individual from the active case or to close the case. 
  • SSI/SSA Couple Cases Not Adjusted (Legacy)
    For SSA/SSI or SSI only couples, adjust the SSI using the same calculation procedure as the Social Security Administration:
    • For SSA/SSI cases -
      • Add the new SSA amounts together.
      • Subtract $20 from the total.
      • Subtract this amount from the SSI couple maximum of
      • $829.00 for 01/03.
      • Divide the result by 2 and enter that amount of SSI for each individual.
      • Enter the verified amount of SSA for each individual.

        •  
    • For SSI only cases - 
      • SSI couple maximum is $829 for 01/03. 
      • Divide by 2 and enter that amount of SSI for each individual.
To manually adjust the SSA amount in the food stamp case, obtain the new SSA amount from the BENDEX printout or from one of the listings that shows the BENDEX amount.  The new SSA amount can also be computed by multiplying the original SSA amount by 101.4% and rounding down to the nearest dollar.

If no SSA amount is available from any of the above sources, workers must verify the new amount of SSA using IIVE.

To manually adjust the SSI amount, the worker must add the amount of increase from the chart near the beginning of this memorandum to the verified SSI amount, or multiply the original SSI amount by 101.4% and round down to the nearest dollar.

A Notice of Adverse Action is not required for these manual adjustments if the adjustments are made by the end of the day on December 20, 2002.

FAMIS PROCESS

If an active FAMIS case is adjusted or closed, the EU Action Log (FM40) will display the action taken by the system and the benefit amount for benefit month 012003.  To view information that resulted in the action, select the action and press F17=INQAUTH.  The Action Authorization screen is displayed.  Press F16=BUDSUM to access the Budget Summary (Food Stamps) screen (FM4A).  From the Budget Summary screen, press F14=INCSUMM to access the Income Summary Detail screen (FM33).  The income types, sources, and gross amounts are displayed for budget month 012003.  Press F21=RETURN to return to the Budget Summary screen, and press F15=EXPSUM to view the Expense Summary screen (FM34).  The expense classes, types, and amounts are displayed for budget month 012003.

As the COLA adjustment is considered a change verified upon receipt, earned income cases with previously disregarded actions (action status DIS) are adjusted using ALL information in the system.

Cases on the Manual Conversion List are adjusted using the Legacy process.  When the cases are removed from the MCL, the updated information appears in FAMIS.

For converted cases in the controlled flow, FAMIS adjusts the income and SMI premiums (unless the medical expense appears as a conversion value - CV) and sets the action as RTA.  Applications in the interrupted controlled flow are only adjusted if the controlled flow was interrupted after the income or expense screens.  No action is taken until the worker completes the controlled flow.  The worker receives one or more alerts.  The alerts vary depending on the action. 

FAMIS adjusts the income and expenses on cases with a pending adverse action.  However, this results in a conflict of actions.  The worker receives the alert "OUTSTANDING ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION", but no action is required by the worker.  FAMIS allows the first adverse action to expire and takes the required action.  If the EU is not closed after the first adverse action, FAMIS then re-runs an eligibility determination with the mass adjustment figures.  A new adverse action notice is sent to the EU as applicable. 

County staff may resolve the conflict of actions rather than allowing FAMIS to resolve the actions.  The worker can access the Action Resolution screen (FM50 or ACTRES) to resolve the actions.  The worker must void the pending adverse action.  Refer to the user guide "Changing an Adverse Action Status" for instructions.  After voiding the adverse action, the worker must access the Eligibility Determination Resolution screen (FM3Y or EDRES) to run a new eligibility determination.  If the action is a benefit reduction, authorize the new adverse action.  If the action is a closing (AACL), on the Action Authorization screen (FM3H), type a "U" on the command line, change the action code to "WICL", enter the reason code "CAV", and enter the override reason code "SUP".

NOTICES

All FAMIS food stamp eligibility units (EUs) whose benefits are being adjusted, or whose cases are closed, will receive an FA-150 CLAIMANT ACTION NOTICE notifying them of the change.

Food stamp EUs that are not adjusted or whose benefit amount did not change will not receive any notice.

MASS ADJUSTMENT BY STATE OFFICE

The new amount of SSA shown on the BENDEX file is used to adjust the case.  If SSA income is shown on the case but not on BENDEX, the SSA amount is increased by 1.4%. 

To adjust for the SSI increase, the existing SSI amount is increased by 1.4%. 

If the food stamp EU receives both SSA and SSI, the SSA amount will be adjusted using the amount shown on the BENDEX file.  The SSI amount will be adjusted by the difference between the SSA increased benefit and the new SSI maximum plus $20.

FAMIS will show the SMI premium from the BENDEX file only if there is already a medical expense type SM in FAMIS.  Medical expense type CV will NOT be updated in FAMIS. 

Changes in Temporary Assistance or General Relief grants, resulting from these adjustments, will be included in the food stamp adjustments.  If the Temporary Assistance or General Relief case is closed, the grant will be removed from the food stamp budget.

COUNTY MANUAL ADJUSTMENTS

Manually adjust applications that were not adjusted when completing the application/controlled flow.

FAMIS will generate reports of active cases not adjusted.  Review cases on the CC & FS Cost of Living Adjustments Needing Review report to determine whether the worker needs to take action.  This listing is viewed online under Managed Reporting.  Select Type of Adjustment "SSA/SSI Unable to Adjust".  Memorandum IM-96 dated 7/31/02 discusses FAMIS on-line reports. 

Each worker must access the report for his/her primary caseload.  An error reason is included for each EU member on the listing.

NOTE: More than one reason may appear for each EU on the listing.  Review all case information to ensure correct data is entered.
Reasons a case may appear on this listing include:
  • SSI was not adjusted,
  • Existing BENDEX information does not match FAMIS information (including income, premium amounts, or claim IDs), or
  • An EU member has a vendor level of care on an IM case. 
To manually adjust the SSA amount in the food stamp case, obtain the new SSA amount from the BENDEX printout.  The new SSA amount can also be computed by multiplying the original SSA amount by 101.4% and rounding down to the nearest dollar.

If no SSA amount is available from any of the above sources, workers must verify the new amount of SSA using IIVE.

To manually adjust the SSI amount, the worker must add the amount of increase from the chart near the beginning of this memorandum to the verified SSI amount, or multiply the original SSI amount by 101.4% and round down to the nearest dollar.

FAMIS sends an FA-510 ADVERSE ACTION NOTICE for these manual adjustments.
NECESSARY ACTION:
  • Review this memorandum with all staff.
  • Review cases from the Legacy and FAMIS listings and reports to determine if action is necessary. 
REM/MRT
Distribution #6
IM-166
[ 2002 Memorandums ]
 IM-169