Effective Date - Change of Circumstances

Revised February 4, 2016

WAC 388-418-0020 How does the department determine the date a change affects my cash and Basic Food benefits?

• Clarifying Information and Worker Responsibilities

Clarifying Information - WAC 388-418-0020

1. Advance notice:

•  LETTERS to determine advance notice time limits.

2. Overpayments due to not reporting or reporting late

See BENEFIT ERRORS and BENEFIT ERRORS – BASIC FOOD OVERPAYMENTS for information on how to set up an overpayment when someone did not report a change timely or when we did not make the change timely.

If someone does not report a change in circumstances required under WAC 388-418-0005, we determine if a client has an overpayment for each program based on that program’s reporting requirements.

·  For Basic Food, the household must report changes as required under WAC 388-418-0005(2)(a).

·  If a Basic Food assistance unit would not have to report the change based on the AU's circumstances, we do not set up an overpayment even if the household had to report a change for another department program.

3. Mass changes

Examples of mass changes include:

Worker Responsibilities - WAC 388-418-0020

1. Temporary changes in income:

When a client reports a change in income that we do not expect to last at least a month beyond the month they reported the change, do not change their benefits. This includes having income over the gross income limit for Basic Food. Instead, take the following steps:

a. Document the reported change, that the change is not expected to last at least a month beyond the date the client reported the change; and

b. Leave the person's benefits unchanged.

2. Changes that cause an increase in benefits:

• We require proof of a decrease in income before we update benefits based on the reported change if the change will increase the household's benefits. We decide when to change benefits based on whether or not they provide the proof we asked for within ten days.  If they take more than ten days to provide this proof, we increase benefits starting the month after the month we received the proof even if they request more time to give us the proof.

• If a change is reported through the online system on a weekend or holiday, the change is considered reported to the department on the first business day following the date the client entered the change online.  We increase the benefits starting the following month.  So if the client enters a change into their CBA on Saturday, March 30, the change would not take effect until May benefits.  We consider the change received Monday, April 1.
   
• We require proof of expenses that will increase Basic Food benefits only if the expense is questionable.
   
• When cash assistance benefits increase because someone starts paying shelter costs, we adjust the cash benefits in the same month that the change was reported if proof was provided timely. We do this instead of waiting until the following month. If the proof was not provided timely, then we follow the regular rules for the effective date of the change.
   
• If a person leaves a community residential facility or a medical institution after the first of the month and they have been receiving CPI monies per WAC 388-478-0045 or 388-478-0040, the effective day for the change in benefits is the day they leave the facility.  

  Benefits are determined by dividing the grant amount by the number of days in the month. The remainder is multiplied by the number of days left in the month counting the date of discharge. The CPI is divided by the number of days in the month and the remainder is multiplied by the number of days the person was in the facility. The two sums are added together and the CPI amount is subtracted from the total.

EXAMPLE: Bill is in an ARC (Adult Residential Care facility) and is receiving CPI, $38.84. He is released from the facility on April 10^th and will be responsible for paying shelter costs. He is eligible for a supplemental payment of $210.11 calculated as follows:

$339 divided by 30 = $11.30

$11.30 x 21 = $237.30

$38.84 divided by 30 = 1.29

$1.29 x 9 = $11.65

$237.30 + 11.65 = $248.95 which rounds up to $249.00

$249.00 – 38.84 = $210.16 (ACES issues the exact amount for the BEG)

If Bill were going into supplied shelter, the same equation applies with the supplied shelter amount being used.

3. Changes that reduce benefits:

When people report a change that will reduce their benefits, make the change to reduce their benefits (with advance notice). Do not require proof of the change. We will verify this information at the next eligibility review / recertification.

4. When someone reports multiple changes at one time:

When clients report multiple income-related changes at the same time, review each change separately to decide how the change impacts their eligibility and benefits.

5.  For Basic Food: When a newborn's date of birth is between the application date and interview date:

The newborn is eligible for benefits in the month of application effective the date of birth.  However, ACES does not correctly prorate benefits in the month of application when the newborn's application date is different than the rest of the household members.  When finalizing the case, you will need to exclude the baby in the first month and manually create a BEG to supplement the newborn's portion.  The supplement amount is the difference between what the household is eligible to receive with and without the newborn, prorated from the date of birth.

To determine the BEG amount, take the following steps:

1.  Determine how much the household is eligible to receive if the newborn was in the household at the time of application.
   
   •  Screen the newborn onto the Basic Food AU.  Use the date of birth as the application date.
   •  Go through "Start Interview" and "Process Application Months" as usual.
   •  Go into "Finalize" and start the finalize process.  Even though you screen the newborn in as of the date of birth, ACES 3G will open everyone (including the newborn) from the original application date.
   •  Make note of the benefit amount on the Food Eligibility Details screen for the month of application and back out (don't finalize!).   
2. Determine how much the household is eligible to receive without the newborn in the month of application.
   
   •  Go into "Process Application Months" in the month of application only and code the newborn as a non-member on the Basic Food AU ID screen.
   •  Go into "Finalize" and finalize the case.
   •  The amount for the month of application should exclude the newborn.  The amount for the on-going months should include the newborn.
3.  Take the difference between the amounts in Step 1 and Step 2 and divide by the number of days from the application date through the 30th.
   
   •  We always assume a 30-day month.
   •  Count the application date as day "one".
4.  Multiply the result from Step 3 by the number of days from the newborn's date of birth through the 30th, and round down.  This is your BEG amount.
   
   •  We always assume a 30-day month.
   •  Count the newborn's date of birth as day "one".

EXAMPLE: A husband and wife apply for Basic Food on 07/10/10.  The wife gives birth on 07/20/10 and reported this information during their interview on 07/25/10.  The worker screens the newborn onto the AU.  After going through Steps 1 and 2, the worker determines that in the month of application, the household is eligible for $250 as a household of three (including the newborn) and  $180 as a household of two (excluding the newborn).  The worker finalizes the case and approves benefits as a household of two for the month of application, and a household of three for the rest of the certification period.

To figure out the BEG amount, the worker follows Step 3 and 4:

• $250 - $180 = $70
• $70 ÷ 21 days (from 07/10 through 07/30) = $3.33 per day
• $3.33 x 11 days (from 07/20 through 07/30) = $36.63
• The worker creates a BEG for $36.

NOTE: For information on how to create a BEG, see Benefit Error Group (BEG) in the ACES User Manual.

6.  For Basic Food: When someone (other than a newborn) moves into the household between the application date and interview date:

If someone moves into the household between the application date and interview date, that person is eligible for benefits effective the application date, along with the rest of the household members.

7.  Requests to add a person to an open case:  When cash assistance benefits increase because a person is added to an assistance unit, use the effective date rules for applications in WAC 388-406-0055. See below to decide if you need an application or Eligibility Review (ER) form to add the new person to the current benefits:

8. Changes that cause a cash program change:

When clients report changes that makes them ineligible for the active cash program but eligible for another cash program, verify the change and process the cash program change without a new application or ER form unless it is required for other reasons.  See CSD Procedure Handbook – Change of Circumstances Processing (For staff only) for procedures. 

9.  Return Mail:
If you receive returned mail for someone and there is a new or forwarding address, take the following steps:

a. If the client's new address is in the State of Washington; refer to Worker Responsibility #5 for WAC 388-418-0007 in the Reporting Requirements section of the EAZ Manual.

b. If the client's new address is out of state, terminate benefits without advance notice as described in WAC 388-458-0030 (3)(b).

Note: When mail is returned by the post office, and there is no new or forwarding address, HIU will dispose of the envelope.

c. No other action is necessary until the household makes contact at the next eligibility,  or mid-certification review.

ACES Procedures