MEMORANDUM

2011 Memorandums

IM-#30      06/21/11

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION
P.O. BOX 2320
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI
TO:
ALL COUNTY OFFICES
FROM:
ALYSON CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT:
FAMIS SAB AND BP MASS ADJUSTMENT
MANUAL REVISION #12:
0415.005.00
0510.000.00
APPENDIX A: BP PRORATION CHART

DISCUSSION:

Effective July 1, 2011, the maximum cash grant for Supplemental Aid to the Blind (SAB) and Blind Pension (BP) increases from $686.00 to $707.00. A FAMIS mass adjustment was completed the weekend of June 4, 2011, for all active EUs with SAB/BP income (income sources AB, F1, BN, and B1).

EUs in the Controlled Flow

If an EU with existing SAB/BP income is in the controlled flow, the SAB/BP grant amount will not be adjusted. These cases will appear on the “Cases Not Adjusted/Error” Report and will not be adjusted by the system until the controlled flow is completed.  Priority attention must be given to this listing as participant’s SAB/BP grant amount will be incorrect beginning July 1, 2011.

When the case is taken thru the controlled flow a July 2011 and subsequent budget months must be entered, FAMIS will then calculate the deficiency or retroactive SAB/BP grant amount and issue those payments to the participant. To check for deficiency or retroactive SAB/BP payment issuance after the overnight batch process, view PAYHIST (FM5F) screen.

Deficiency (DEF) payments are issued if the month for which they are intended has passed; retroactive (RTO) payments are issued if the month for which they are intended is the current month.

EUs on the Conversion List

If an EU with existing SAB/BP income is on the conversion list for MHABD, the grant increase will not be applied in Legacy. A listing of cases on the manual conversion list was provided to counties who had cases on the MCL. Priority attention must be given to this listing as participant’s SAB/BP grant amount will be incorrect beginning July 1, 2011.

When the case is converted to FAMIS and taken thru the controlled flow a July 2011 and subsequent budget months must be entered, FAMIS will then calculate the deficiency or retroactive SAB/BP grant amount and issue those payments to the participant. To check for deficiency or retroactive SAB/BP payment issuance after the overnight batch process, view PAYHIST (FM5F) screen.

Deficiency (DEF) payments are issued if the month for which they are intended has passed; retroactive (RTO) payments are issued if the month for which they are intended is the current month.

If the case has an active B1 or F1 income in FAMIS, that income will be updated. SAB/BP cases that have other types of assistance in FAMIS will be adjusted.

Conflict of Actions

FAMIS adjusts the income on EUs with a pending adverse action at the time of the mass adjustment. This results in a conflict of actions because one adverse action must be completed or voided before another action can be taken. The eligibility specialist receives the alert “OUTSTANDING ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION”. The conflict must be resolved by the eligibility specialist.

Access the Action Resolution (FM50 or ACTRES) screen and void the pending adverse action. Refer to the user guide Changing an Adverse Action Status for instructions. After voiding the adverse action, access the Eligibility Determination Resolution (FM3Y or EDRES) screen, run a new eligibility determination, and authorize the new adverse action. FAMIS will produce an Adverse Action Notice (FA510) or a MO HealthNet Adverse Action Notice (FA410) and take action when the notice has expired.

Other Actions

For eligibility determinations, completed on or before June 4, 2011, FAMIS will use the previous SAB/BP grant amount for budget months thru June 2011.  For eligibility determinations, completed June 4, 2011 or after, FAMIS will use the previous SAB/BP grant amount for budget months through June 2011 and use the new SAB/BP grant amount for the month of July 2011 and ongoing.

Food Stamp Simplified Reporting EUs

The change in the SAB/BP grant is a change that must be acted upon for simplified reporting EUs for the Food Stamp Program. All previously disregarded actions during the certification period will be included if the grant is adjusted during the mass adjustment.

Simplified reporting EUs with previously disregarded actions (action status DIS) are adjusted using all information known to FAMIS. Simplified reporting EUs whose Food Stamp benefits are decreasing as a result of cumulative changes and the mass adjustment will have benefits decreased for the month of July 2011. If there was a previously disregarded Adverse Action to Remove a Person (AARP), the adverse action will be re-generated as a result of the mass adjustment. Do not disregard the action.

Notices

An FA-510 Adverse Action Notice is sent for Food Stamp cases with previously disregarded actions that are adjusted during the mass adjustment.

An FA-150 Claimant Action Notice is sent for the following types of cases during the mass adjustment, notifying them of the July 2011 change of benefits:

No action notice is being sent for Food Stamps, Family Healthcare or Temporary Assistance cases that result in no change (NOCH) in benefits due to the SAB/BP mass adjustment.

An FA-410 MO HealthNet Adverse Action Notice will be sent for Family Healthcare cases that result in a change in benefits due to the SAB/BP adjustment. An FA-450 MO HealthNet Action Notice will be sent once the adverse action notice expires.

An FA-420 Adult MO HealthNet Adverse Action Notice will be sent for Adult MO HealthNet cases that result in a change in benefits due to the SAB/BP adjustment. An FA-460 Adult MO HealthNet Benefit Notice will be sent once the adverse action notice expires.

Error Report

Active SAB/BP grants that are not shown as income in FAMIS prior to the mass adjustment will not be added during the mass adjustment.

FAMIS will generate reports in the Managed Reporting system listing active EUs that are not adjusted. Each eligibility specialist must access the report for his/her primary caseload.  To review the reports:

The error reason is included for each EU member on the report.

Fair Hearing Request

If the EU requests a fair hearing, fax the request to the Hearings Unit the same day. It is important to send all Agency evidence to the Hearings Unit as soon as possible. All available evidence should be sent to the Hearings Unit with the original request for hearing within 24 hours. Do not wait until a few days before the hearing to send the evidence.

For budget adjustments or closings, evidence includes, but is not limited to:

Verifications

Provide a copy of the evidence to the EU asking for the hearing, and their legal representative and schedule a pre-hearing conference. If the EU designates an attorney or authorized representative for the hearing, send a copy of all notices and evidence for the hearing to the EU and the designated individual.

Please note that if verification of child support income was from a MACSS screen, the verification to support this should be requested from child support staff for the hearing. They can provide a print-out that contains the same information that can be presented as evidence. If this is not provided, contact the Program and Policy Unit for assistance. Do not go to hearing and state that the verification cannot be supplied because the screen cannot be printed, as the Agency has access to this information.

NECESSARY ACTION:

TM

ATTACHMENTS:

2011 Memorandums