Effective immediately, participants are able to use available Temporary Assistance(cash) and food stamp benefits in the EBT account to repay benefits to the state.  County offices have designated staff to have access to this transaction.

Cash benefits can only be used to pay cash claims.  Food stamp benefits can only be used to pay food stamp claims.  The system does not allow one program to repay the other.  If a participant receives more benefits than entitled to and wants to repay the benefit, a claim will have to be written.  Ask the participant to sign the Voluntary Repayment Authorization form, IM-114.

When a participant notifies the county office that s/he wants to use available cash and/or food stamp benefits to repay a claim, take the following action.

• The participant must sign the Voluntary Repayment Authorization form, IM-114, designating the type of benefit to be repaid and the amount.

 
• Complete the IM-114 form and verify a claim has been established.

 
• If no claim has been established, write the claim and enter the claim in the Claim Accounting and Restitution System (CARS) prior to transacting the voluntary repayment transaction.

 
• The staff member with access to voluntary repayment completes the transaction through the MOP system within 3 business days of the request.

• In the MOP system, at the main menu, type 10 in the menu selection field.  Tab to the case number and enter the DCN.  Press Ctrl.  The "Repayments" screen appears.  Verify this is the correct participant who is requesting voluntary repayment.

 
• Verify the participant has available benefits for the assistance type that is being repaid.  The current available benefits are shown in the "Avail-Food Stamp" or "Avail-Cash" fields.

 
• Tab to the "Repayment Type" field.  Key "C" for cash repayment, or "F" for food stamp benefit repayment.

 
• Enter the amount the participant wants to repay in the "Repayment Amount" field.  Delete remaining numbers to the right of the keyed amount.  Verify all the information on the screen is correct.  Press F6 to update the information.

 
• The status message "Update complete.  To Void the Last Transaction, Press F6 Now" appears in the lower left corner of the screen.

 
• The "Remaining Amount" field is updated to show the new amount for the appropriate assistance.  This is the amount that is available for the participant to use.

 
• To void the transaction if the wrong amount is deducted, the payment is deducted from the wrong benefit, or the transaction is done in error, press F6.  NOTE:  The transaction cannot be voided after exiting from the screen or accessing another participant's information.  The status message "Void complete." appears in the lower left corner of the screen.  Once the transaction is voided, re-enter the repayment transaction or exit the screen.

 
• Print the screen and attach the printout to the claims information.

 
• The repayment appears on the OVPT screen when it is posted to the claim.  Food stamp repayments are coded 06 and cash repayments are coded 05 in the "Transaction Type" field.  The OVCS screen reflects the new claim balance.  The updated information on OVCS/OVPT screens appears within 2 days of the voluntary repayment transaction.

 
• The repayment also appears in the "History Transaction Summary" screens in MOP.  The following codes appear for the voluntary repayment transactions:

NFD  Non-Clearing Food Stamp Debit
NFDR  Non-Clearing Food Stamp Debit Reversal
NCD  Non-Clearing Cash Debit
NCDR  Non-Clearing Cash Debit Reversal

If a voluntary repayment transaction is completed and there is no claim on file, the transaction will not post.  Program and Policy staff will contact county staff to determine why no claim is established.  Once the claim is established, the payment will post.
 

If the designated person for your county is not available for several days to complete the voluntary repayment transaction, fax the IM-114 to the Program and Policy Unit in Central Office.  The fax number for food stamp transactions is (573)522-4333, and the fax number for cash transactions is (573)526-4837.

If a participant wants to repay food stamp benefits that are aged off the account, do not reissue the benefits in order to complete a voluntary repayment transaction. Refer to Memorandum IM-#6 dated 01/28/99 for instructions regarding use of aged food stamp benefits to repay a claim.

The IM-114 form is printed, and an initial supply should have been received by your county offices.  Additional supply can be requested using normal supply request procedures.

• Discuss this memorandum with all appropriate staff.

 
• Accept requests to repay cash and food stamp benefits.  Have the participant sign the Voluntary Repayment Authorization form, IM-114.

 
• Verify a claim has been established.  If no claim has been established, write the claim and enter the claim in CARS.

 
• Complete the voluntary repayment transaction within 3 business days of the request.

 
• File the IM-114 and forms instructions in the IM Forms Manual.