Policy Memo: 2nd Extension of SNAP Approval Periods for Select Mail-in EZ REDE Cases

11/13/2012

Policy Memo: 2nd Extension of SNAP Approval Periods for Select Mail-in EZ REDE Cases

Summary:

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has approved a second waiver that allows the department to extend approval periods on select EZ REDE cases an additional six months.  The waiver was requested as part of the department's corrective action to improve SNAP application processing timeliness. 
• During the period 12/12 through 05/13, staff will not have to process over 300,000 mail-in REDEs for the affected cases.  Instead, staff are to focus on the timely processing of initial SNAP applications. SNAP applications must be approved and if eligible, SNAP applicants must have their SNAP benefits by the 30th day from the date of application.  Generally (but not always) an approval action must be taken by day 27 for the application to be considered timely.  SNAP applications must be denied by the 30th day from the date of application.
• SNAP approval periods for mail-in REDEs continue to be extended 6 months for SNAP only (category 08) and Family Health Plan (category 94/96) cases with SNAP except those cases coded with 801, 802, or 654 in Item 90 that have a SNAP benefit amount of $400 or higher.
• Mail-in cases that have approval periods centrally extended in this 2nd extension group will be coded with a D in Item 80 656 Total Cost field.
• Those cases that have their approval period extended will no longer be considered EZ REDE cases and the clients will have to report the following changes:
  • Change in the source of income
  • Change of more than $100 a month up or down, of earned income;
  • Change of unearned income of $50 a month, up or down;
  • People who move in or out of the household, including newborns;
  • If they have moved, the new address and telephone number and changes in rent or mortgage and utilities; and/or
  • If they receive a deduction for making child support payments, report when the support order changes or ends.
• Those cases that have their approval period extended will be sent Client Notice (CN)12.08 to inform them of their responsibility to report these changes.  CN 12.08 will be produced at Group 00 cut-off for each month benefits are extended. When the client receives the notice, the client is responsible for reporting all changes until the next SNAP REDE.  At the next SNAP REDE, the case will be back in EZ REDE.
• Staff continue to act on reported changes on any SNAP case per PM 18-04-00. 
• A monthly report, 84504053, is available in Mobius titled "MM/YY Cases with Approval Period Extended". The report contains the case name, case ID, and new Item 24 End Date of each case that was extended and is divided by caseload, local office and Region. A summary monthly report, 84504054-Summary of MM\YY Cases with Approval Period Extended, is also available showing the total number of cases by region and statewide.