PM 22-14-03-a: BENDEX

WAG 22-14-03-a.

BENDEX is a data exchange between the Department and the Social Security Administration (SSA). Its purpose is to:

  • provide current SSA payment status and amount;
  • verify Medicare data (HIB and SMIB benefits); and
  • reduce the Quality Control (QC) error rate.

Client data is added to the BENDEX system when a person has an active case and a valid SSN in the Client Database (CDB) (see PM 22-08-01).

Cash and SNAP benefits

SSA benefits are centrally budgeted when BENDEX data matches the SSN on an active case. Central budgeting does not occur when one of the following exists:

  • the client lacks a valid SSN;
  • BENDEX does not provide usable data due to lack of a valid claim number(s);
  • there are multiple SSA benefit entitlement problems; or
  • the case is newly approved.

When a case has more than one person, central budgeting occurs only for those persons in the case with matched information.

Medical

A BENDEX Data Exchange Summary List is sent to the Family Community Resource Center when the SSA benefit information (from BENDEX) differs from the amount shown on the CDB by at least $5. The Family Community Resource Center should take action to correct the amount.

BENDEX Death Information

Payment Status Codes T1 and X1 indicate the termination of Social Security benefits due to the death of the beneficiary. With the monthly BENDEX match, all clients with a T1 or X1 Payment Status Code are identified. If the client is the sole person receiving assistance on Form 552, the following central actions occur:

  • the case is centrally canceled:
    • for AABD, TANF, and SNAP cases, Type Action (TA) 22, Type Action Reason (TAR) 00 is used;
    • TEXT DELETED
  • for cash and medical assistance cases, the date of death is entered in Item 41 of Form 552 (taken from BENDEX information);
  • the message "Centrally canceled due to death reported via BENDEX" is entered in Item 93 of Form 552;
  • a Form 552 is produced; and
  • Notice of Change (Form 157C) is sent.

Long Term Care Cases

BENDEX information provides only the month and year of death. With a central cancellation, the last day of the month/year provided by BENDEX is entered as the date of death. Long term care cases require additional action to:

  • correct the date of death when it is other than the last day of the month; and
  • enter the correct discharge destination, Code D1 - death, in MMIS.

Process the corrections through the HFS Bureau of Long Term Care.

Consolidated Death Match

If the client whose death is reported on BENDEX is not the sole person receiving assistance on Form 552, assistance is not centrally canceled. The BENDEX information is used by the Consolidated Death Match. The case appears on the monthly Consolidated Death Match report.