MR #17.12: SNAP and TANF REDE Changes

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07/11/17

Summary

This release removes policy references to EZ REDE and the Phone System Interview (PSI). Mid-Point Reporting (MPR) replaced EZ REDE as Illinois' Simplified Reporting System with 12-month approval periods and an interim report form completed in the 6th month. A face-to-face interview is required every 12-months for SNAP and TANF.
EZ REDE Form 4765 and PSI notices Form 4764, Form 4891, Form 4892, Form 4893, Form 4722, Form 4721 are obsolete. EZ REDE and the operation of PSI ended in 08/16.
Form 1893, Redetermination Application, is the notice of expiration of benefits for all SNAP units. Until IES Phase 2 is implemented, Form 1893 is centrally generated by the Legacy system approximately 60 days prior to the end of the SNAP approval period.
Effective July 2017, Form 1893 is revised to include language that informs the customer that the application may be submitted with just a name, address and signature. If the REDE application is received in the FCRC with just a name, address and signature, register the application for SNAP. Form 1893 must still be completed by the customer before the application can be processed.

Form 1893 will be available in the OneNet Forms Library effective July 2017. If the customer loses the centrally generated Form 1893, the FCRC may give the customer a blank copy from OneNet. It is also possible to reprint a copy of the customer's Form 1893 from Mobius. Enter the customer's name or case number exactly as it appears on ACID in the Mobius' search window. See Mobius Report 84502341 (English) and Mobius Report 84502342 (Spanish)
Attachment to the Application, Form 4765B is mailed with Form 1893. Give Form 4765B when SNAP is received on a cash or medical case so that the customer may respond to the MAGI questions.
Effective July 2017, Guide to DHS Services (DHS 4474) is revised with a new non-discrimination statement. DHS 4474 is centrally mailed with Form 1893 and is also available on the DHS website.
Some adjustments were made to Item 24 SNAP cases when Mid-Point Reporting was implemented and to prepare for the planned IES Phase 2 conversion. Not all EZ REDE cases could be converted to Mid-Point Reporting status. Some cases with an Item 80 code 656 (M) remained in EZ REDE status and were phased in as they became due for a face-to-face REDE. Some cases with an Item 80 code 656 (M) were converted to an Item 80 code 656 (I) and Item 24 date was extended. No 552's were produced.
To prevent a canceled case in EZ REDE status from being reinstated (TA12/TAR 98) with an Item 80 code (F) or Item 80 code (M), a central action was required to change Item 80 code 656 to an (I).
In IES phase 2, Form 1893 has been modified to be used as a dynamic REDE application for cash, medical and SNAP programs. It will be renamed to SNAP and Cash Redetermination Application and Medical Renewal and will be centrally generated by IES 60 days prior to the end of the SNAP approval period. Form 1893 is due to the FCRC by the first day in the last month of the approval period.
SNAP will end when the approval period ends unless a SNAP REDE is completed. Receipt of the SNAP REDE will not stop IES from ending SNAP, if the REDE has not been processed by schedule cut-off.
In IES Phase 2, Form 683, Application for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is used for initial SNAP applications only.
Until IES Phase 2, Form 643c and Form 4002c will continue to be mailed by the Legacy system for Cash. For a customer's REDE to be processed, the customer must be interviewed, provide all requested verifications within 10 calendar days of the date requested; and meet all other eligibility factors. A face-to-face interview is required for all TANF cases.
In IES Phase 2, Form IL444-1893 Medical, SNAP and Cash Redetermination Notice is generated by IES when a Cash redetermination of benefits is due. The notice is centrally generated by IES and mailed 60 days prior to the certification end date. The cash REDE is due by the 1st day of the last fiscal month of the approval period.
In IES Phase 2, the Cash EDG will not close if the REDE application is marked as received and in case change or REDE mode by close of terminal entry of the last fiscal month of the approval period.
In IES Phase 2, any change that is reported at REDE, and processed before the 15th of the month in which the approval period ends, will impact the next approval period. If the REDE was received in IES, and changes were submitted but not processed before schedule cut-off, then a mercury will be issued for an underpayment or an overpayment will need to be completed to decrease the benefit amount. If a customer is owed a mercury or supplement due to a REDE not being processed on time, IES will run eligibility and will issue the mercury or supplement through a batch that takes place every evening.
In IES Phase 2, when a Cash REDE application is received after the end of the last fiscal month of the certification period, and by the 30th day after the end of the certification period, reopen the application and prorate benefits from the date of application. If the cash REDE application is received after the 30th day after the end of the certification period, a new application is needed.
This release updates the mandatory SNAP Employment &Training counties listed in WAG 21-06-01. Due to no provider, Union/Johnson is no longer a mandatory SNAP E&T county.

Moving from EZ REDE to Mid-Point Reporting
1. Ending PSI and EZ REDE Notices
SNAP REDE Process - Legacy System
SNAP REDE Process -IES Phase 2
Enter 30 days of Income in IES and Drop Cents
Cash REDE Process- Legacy System
Cash REDE Process -IES Phase 2
Miscellaneous Change
Forms Referenced:

This release removes policy references to EZ REDE with 6-month approval periods and the Phone System Interview (PSI). Mid-Point Reporting (MPR) replaced EZ REDE in December 2015 as Illinois' Simplified Reporting System with 12-month approval periods and an interim report (Form 2890) completed in the 6th month.

Moving from EZ REDE to Mid-Point Reporting

SNAP households were enrolled into Mid-Point Reporting upon approval of an initial application and when an active household became due for a face-to-face REDE. However, due to the planned July IES Phased 2 Go Live date, a central conversion of the remaining cases in EZ REDE status was necessary to change Item 80 code 656 (F) and Item 80 code 656(M) to an Item 80 code 656 (I) so that IES would be able to identify Mid-Point Reporting cases at conversion.

For cases with an Item 24 date:

equal to or greater than 08/16 and have an Item 80 code 656 (F), the (F) was converted to (I). No changes to Item 24.
8/16 and have Item 80 code 656 (M), Item 24 was extended to 02/17 and the (M) was converted to (I).
09/16 and an Item 80 code 656 (M), Item 24 was extended to 03/17 and the (M) was converted to (I).
10/16 and an Item 80 code 656 (M), Item 24 was extended to 04/17 and the (M) was converted to (I)
11/16 and 12/16 and an Item 80 code 656 (M), Item 24 was not changed. The (M) was changed to (I).

To prevent a canceled case in EZ REDE status from being reinstated (TA 12/TAR 98) with an Item 80 code (F) or Item 80 code (M), a central action converted the Item 80 656 codes to (I). This action was taken only on cases canceled within the last 3 months of the Legacy conversion.

Ending PSI and EZ REDE Notices

EZ REDE Form 4765 and PSI notices Form 4764, Form 4891, Form 4892, Form 4893, Form 4722, Form 4721 are obsolete. EZ REDE and the operation of PSI ended in 08/16. Below is a summary of the last mailing of EZ REDE notices.

Mail-in Redetermination Application Form 4764 and Form 4765 were discontinued with the last Legacy System mailing on 06/25/16 for SNAP benefits expiring 07/16.
SNAP and TANF Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) was mailed by the Legacy System 07/18/16 to SNAP households with an approval end date of 02/17. This mailing included households with an Item 24 date extended, as indicated above, that would have otherwise received Form 4764 or Form 4765. A completed Form 2890 by the customer continued SNAP and/or TANF benefits for September and ongoing. The Legacy system will continue to mail Form 2890 in the 5th month of a Mid-Point Reporting household's approval period until IES Phase 2 is implemented.
Form 4893, Your SNAP Benefits are Ending was discontinued with the last Legacy System mailing on 07/05/16 for SNAP benefits expiring 08/16.
Form 4721, Instructions to Client, Form 4722, Notice of Incomplete Interview, Form 4891, Phone Interview Worksheet, and Form 4892, Reapply for Benefits Using the Phone Interview System are all part of the REDE packet mailed with Form 4764 and Form 4893. These forms were discontinued 08/16.
As of 08/02/16, PSI is no longer in operation.

SNAP REDE Process - Legacy System

Form 1893, Redetermination Application is the notice of expiration of benefits for Change Reporting households and Mid-Point Reporting households. A face-to-face redetermination is required every 12-months.
- Form 1893 is centrally generated by the Legacy system approximately 60 days prior to the end of the SNAP approval period. The Legacy system will continue to mail Form 1893 until IES Phase 2 is implemented.
- Effective July 2017, Form 1893 is revised to include language that informs the customer that the application may be submitted with just a name, address and signature.If the REDE application is received in the FCRC with just a name, address and signature, register the application for SNAP. Form 1893 must still be completed by the customer before the application can be processed.
- Form 1893 will be available in the OneNet Forms Library effective July 2017. If the customer loses the centrally generated Form 1893, the FCRC may give the customer a blank copy from OneNet. It is also possible to reprint a copy of the customer's Form 1893 from Mobius. Enter the customer's name or case number exactly as it appears on ACID in the Mobius' search window. See Mobius Report 84502341 (English) and Mobius Report 84502342 (Spanish)
- Attachment to the Application, Form 4765B is mailed with Form 1893. Give Form 4765B when SNAP is received on a cash or medical case so that the customer may respond to the MAGI questions for medical. During the approval period, a Change Reporting household must report changes within 10 calendar days of the date they learn about the change (PM 18-04-00).
DHS Guide to Services (DHS 4474) is revised with a new nondiscrimination statement. DHS 4474 is centrally mailed with Form 1893 and is also available on the DHS website, DHS 4474 confers categorical eligibility to SNAP households (PM 05-07-00).
During the approval period, a Mid-Point Reporting households must:
- report when their gross monthly income exceeds the gross monthly income standard for the household size;
- complete Form 2890 in the 6th month and report all changes related to the questions on the form;
- comply with the New Hire requirements.
For changes reported at the REDE, for both Change Reporting and Mid-Point Reporting households, make the change starting with the first month of the new approval period, except for a reported addition to the household.
Register a SNAP REDE application:
- when Form 1893 is only returned with a name, address and signature.
- when you have to issue Mercury; or
- benefits; or
- when the SNAP REDE application is to be denied; or
- for any REDE that is not completed on the regular rolls using same day processing.

SNAP REDE Process -IES Phase 2

In IES Phase 2, Form 1893 is renamed to SNAP and TANF Redetermination Application and Medical Renewal, Form 1893 will be used for Cash, Medical and SNAP REDES. Form 1893 is highly dynamic and designed to only display relevant questions pertaining to the benefit program requiring a redetermination for the customer to complete. IES systematically generates Form 1893 as the notice of expiration of benefits for SNAP 60 days prior to the end of the approval period.
If medical benefits are received on the case, IES determines if there is documentation from electronic sources to complete an automatic medical redetermination (see PM 19-02-04-c). SNAP cases must always be redetermined manually regardless of the automated medical REDE process.
Form 1893 is due to the Family Community Resource Center by the 1st day of the last month in the SNAP approval period.
A customer may summit Form 1893 by:
- completing electronically through Manage My Case (MMC); or
- scanning and uploading to the Center Scan Unit CSU); or
- mailing through the U.S. postal service; or
- by bringing to the FCRC in person.
A SNAP customer applying in person must file an application by the 15th day in the last month of the approval period for a timely application.

REDE Application Submitted in Manage My Case (MMC)

When a customer completes a REDE in Management My Case (MMC) before the approval period ends, IES creates a REDE task and routes to the appropriate Redetermination queue:
- Interview Required - Initiate REDE. All SNAP redeterminations require a face-to-face interview (see PM 02-06-01); or
- No Interview -Initiate REDE

Paper REDE Application Returned - Data Cap Scanned Documents

If a customer completes a paper Form 1893 and submits it to either the Central Scan Unit (CSU) or the FCRC, the REDE form is scanned into IES using Data Cap. IES creates a task in the appropriate Redetermination queue.

REDE Returned by the Due Date

When Form 1893 is returned to the office, review the notice to see if the customer is requesting a phone interview or an office interview. If the customer requests a phone interview, schedule a phone interview not an office interview.

IES generates Form 267T, Appointment Notice, when an appointment is scheduled at the FCRC and sends to the customer with the date and time of the interview. For phone interviews, include a contact name and telephone number.

REDE Form Not Returned or Returned Late

In Phase 2, IES ends the TANF EDG and SNAP EDG if IL444-1893 has not been received or has not been acted on by the FCRC at schedule cut off for the month following the last month of the SNAP/TANF benefit period. If the customer completes and submits Form IL444-1893 after the TANF and/or SNAP EGD have been ended, IES creates the task title Potential Reinstatement.

The FCRC processes a REDE application, if it is returned during the fiscal month after the approval period. Benefits are prorated from the date the application is received. See PM 19-03-06, PM 19-03-07, PM 19-03-08. The unit must have a face-to-face interview.
If the REDE application is received later than the fiscal month after the end of the current approval period, process as an initial application. The unit must have a face-to-face interview (see PM 02-06-01).

Verified Income is Different for SNAP than for Medical

The clearance data found 75 days prior to the end of the approval period can only be used for medical eligibility and cannot be used to determine eligibility for SNAP.

If AWVS is the source of electronic earnings verification used for the auto-REDE for the medical case, additional verification will be required for SNAP. AWVS is not considered acceptable proof of earnings for SNAP and it may not be used for the SNAP budget.

IES will not permit certification of the medical EDG if income is different between the two programs. When the income is verified for SNAP, take the case out of auto-REDE mode by going into data collection/change, update the income and certify the change. If the customer fails to cooperate with the SNAP REDE by the due date, the SNAP benefits end. No further update is needed for medical. See MR#16.08 Auto REDE for Medical Programs, dated 06/28/16.

The table below shows the SNAP and Cash REDE IES process.

Certification Periods by REDE Scenario	Medical REDE Process	SNAP REDE Process	REDE Forms	REDE Action Taken*
Medical Due before SNAP	Process A- Auto REDE	Manual SNAP REDE	Form 2381A Medical Benefits Redetermination Notice and Form 1893 SNAP Redetermination	IES mass change certifies the medical REDE on cutoff. Worker updates IES and certifies the case for SNAP.
Medical due before SNAP	Process B - Manual REDE	Manual SNAP REDE	Form 2381B Medical Benefits, Time to Renew and Form 1893 SNAP Redetermination and Medical Renewal Form	Worker reviews medical and SNAP REDE, updates IES and certifies case.
SNAP due before Medical	------------	Manual SNAP REDE	Form1893 SNAP Redetermination	Worker reviews SNAP REDE, updates IES and certifies case.
Medical, Cash and SNAP certification periods aligned	Process A - Auto REDE	Manual Cash and SNAP REDE	Form 2381A Medical Benefits Redetermination Notice and Form 1893 TANF and SNAP Redetermination	Worker reviews Cash and SNAP REDE, updates IES and certifies the result. If information reported for cash or SNAP is different than the information reported for medical, update medical information in IES and certify the result.
Medical, Cash and SNAP certification periods aligned	Process B - Manual REDE	Manual Cash and SNAP REDE	Form 2381B Medical Benefits, Time to Renew and Form 1893 SNAP and TANF Redetermination	Worker reviews Medical, Cash and SNAP REDE, updates IES and certifies the result.
SNAP only	----------	Manual SNAP REDE	Form 1893 SNAP Redetermination	Worker reviews SNAP REDE, updates IES and certifies the result.

*When the household receives cash or SNAP with medical benefits, the income information must be consistent or IES will not certify the results. When income discovered in the clearance process for the medical auto-REDE is below the program standard, the worker updates the income in IES with income amounts verified for the cash or SNAP REDE. Certify the result.

Enter 30 days of Income in IES and Drop Cents

At initial application, REDE or when adding a person with earnings use the person's income from the last 30 days to project future income, unless a change in income is expected (see PM 13-02-03). Until the Enhancement Request is completed to prevent use of cents in the calculation of the monthly income amount by IES, the HSC must manually convert the pay received to a monthly amount and enter the monthly amount in IES (see PM 13-02-04 Converting Income/Deductions to a Monthly Amount). Do not use IES system generated average pay for missing pay. Request that the customer provide the missing pay verification, if needed. Add 30 days of income using only dollar amounts. Do not enter cents. The total number of pay verifications should be averaged and multiplied by the customer's pay frequency. For more information on entering income into IES see the following:

Income Quick Tips: https://intranet.dhs.illinois.gov/onenet/page.aspx?item=92263

IES Job Aid: Income:https://intranet.dhs.illinois.gov/onenet/page.aspx?item=77479
IES Tip: CSCD Dates - The Right Way! http://intranet.dhs.illinois.gov/onenet/page.aspx?item=95491

Cash REDE Process- Legacy System

Until IES Phase 2, Form 643c and Form 4002c will continue to be mailed by the Legacy system for Cash. For a customer's REDE to be processed, the customer must: be interviewed; provide all requested verifications within 10 calendar days of the date requested; and meet all other eligibility factors. A face-to-face interview is required for all TANF REDEs.

Cash REDE Process -IES Phase 2

Form 1893 Medical, SNAP and Cash Redetermination Notice is generated by IES when a Cash redetermination of benefits is due. The notice is centrally generated by IES and mailed 60 days prior to the certification end date.

The Cash REDE is due by the 1st day of the last fiscal month of the approval period. The Cash EDG will not close if the REDE application is marked as received and in case change or REDE mode by close of terminal entry of the last fiscal month of the approval period.

Any change that is reported at REDE, and processed before the 15th of the month, will impact the next approval period. If the REDE was received in IES, and changes were submitted but not processed before schedule cut-off, then a mercury will be issued for an underpayment or an overpayment will need to be completed to decrease the benefit amount. If a customer is owed a mercury or supplement due to a REDE not being processed on time, IES will run eligibility and will issue the mercury or supplement through a batch that takes place every evening.

When a Cash REDE application is received after the end of the last fiscal month of the certification period, and by the 30th day after the end of the certification period, reopen the application and prorate benefits from the date of application. If the cash REDE application is received after the 30th day after the end of the certification period, a new application is needed.

Miscellaneous Change

This manual release includes an update to the Mandatory SNAP Employment and Training counties listed in WAG 21-06-01.. Union/Jackson county is removed due to no provider contract.