MR #18.14: Revises Mid-Point Reporting Process - Reminder Notice Required

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07/31/18

Obsoletes Policy Memorandum, Revises Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) Due Date, dated 07/19/18

Summary

This manual release adds the policy and procedures to the policy manual that changes the due date of the Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) and adds the Mid-Point Report Reminder (Form 2891).
In an effort to help the Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) manage the volume of Mid-Point Reports (Form 2890) returned to the office, insure timely processing to comply with federal regulations and to avoid Quality Control errors, Form 2890 is revised with an earlier due date.
The due date of Form 2890 is changed from the 5th day to the 2nd day in month 6 of the approval period.
The last mailing of Form 2890 with the due date of the 5th was mailed at schedule cut-off for June 2018 with a returned date of 07/05/18.
At schedule cut-off in July 2018, Form 2890 will be mailed to customers with a return due date to the FCRC of 08/02/18.
A non-postage return envelope with the Central Scanning Unit (CSU) address is included with a Form 2890 mailed to customers.
The FCRC address will still display on Form 2890. An FCRC should still anticipate that some customers will submit their Form 2890 directly to office instead of CSU. If Form 2890 is returned to the FCRC, staff should scan, upload and enter the receipt date of Form 2890 in IES to prevent case cancellation.
Federal regulations require that a reminder notice be sent to SNAP households that fail to submit a complete Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) by the due date.
If a reminder notice is not sent to a SNAP household that fails to submit a complete Mid-Point Report by the due date, it results in a Quality Control error. The system generated action will help prevent this error.
A new notice is created, Mid-Point Report Reminder Notice- Action Required (Form 2891). Form 2891 is available in English and Spanish.
Form 2891 is centrally mailed by IES. The first mailing of Form 2891 is 08/07/18. It will be mailed to all customers who have not returned their Mid-Point Report by the 08/02/18 due date.
It is important that staff enter the Mid-Point Report receipt date in IES so that the reminder notice is mailed only to those households who didn't provide one.
The reminder notice informs a SNAP household that it has 10 days from the date of the notice to file a complete Mid-Point Report (Form 2890). This requirement applies to all Mid-Point Reporting SNAP households, including SNAP/TANF households.
Form 2891 does not serve as a cancellation or denial notice. A SNAP or SNAP/TANF household is ineligible for benefits if it does not submit a complete Mid-Point Report by the due date and does not comply with the reminder notice within 10 days of the date of notice. IES systematically sends Form 360c to notify a household that their SNAP or SNAP/TANF benefits are canceled.
When a complete Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) is returned after the due date, but within 10 days of the date Form 2891 is mailed, take action to process the Mid-Point Report no later than 10 days after the household's normal issuance date, if eligible.
For SNAP, only verify changes reported in Question#4 and for a new report of a child support obligation that was not reported in the previous 6 month contact (PM 13-01-07). The Mid-Point report is currently under revision to inform the customer to attached proof of a new child support obligation. Staff will be notified when the new version is generated out of IES.
If verification of an expense is requested and not provided, determine SNAP eligibility and benefit amount without allowing a deduction for the expense which was reported but not verified. If the household later provides verification of the expense, it is considered a reported change. The date the verification is provided is considered the date the household reported the change (see PM 18-04-00). Verification of housing costs is not required for SNAP.
This release includes updated manual pages inadvertently omitted from a previous manual release.

This manual release revises the Mid-Point Reporting process. These changes are being made to help the Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) manage the volume of Mid-Point Reports (Form 2890) returned to the office, insure timely processing to comply with federal regulations and to avoid Quality Control errors.

Form 2890 Due Date Change

To help the Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) manage the volume of Mid-Point Reports (Form 2890) returned to the office and insure timely processing, Form 2890 is revised with an earlier due date. The new due date of Form 2890 is changed from the 5th day to the 2nd day in month 6 of the approval period. The change to an earlier due date allows an FCRC more time to process Mid-Point Reports by schedule cut-off.
The last mailing of Form 2890 with the due date of the 5th of the month was mailed at June 2018 schedule cut-off. The Mid-Point Report is due back to the FCRC 07/05/18.
At schedule cut-off in July 2018, Form 2890 will be mailed to customers with a return due date to the FCRC of 08/02/18.
A non-postage return envelope with the Central Scanning Unit (CSU) address is included with a Form 2890 mailed to customers.
The FCRC address will still display on Form 2890. An FCRC should still anticipate that some customers will submit their Form 2890 directly to office instead of CSU.
For SNAP, only verify changes reported in Question #4 and for a new report of a child support obligation that was not reported in the previous 6 month contact (PM 13-01-07). The Mid-Point report is currently under revision to inform the customer to attached proof of a new child support obligation. Staff will be notified when the new version is generated out of IES.
If Form 2890 is received and verification of an expense is requested and not provided, determine SNAP eligibility and benefit amount without allowing a deduction for the expense which was reported but not verified. If the household later provides verification of the expense, it is considered a reported change. The date the verification is provided is considered the date the household reported the change (see PM 18-04-00).

Note: Verification of housing costs is not required for SNAP.

Federal Requirement to Send Reminder Notice

In addition to the Form 2890 changes, a new policy and procedure is being added to the Mid-Point Reporting process. Federal regulations require that a reminder notice be sent to SNAP households that fail to submit a complete Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) by the due date.
Mid-Point Report Reminder Notice - Action Required (Form 2891) has been created in English and Spanish. The reminder notice informs a SNAP household that it has 10 days from the date of the notice to return a complete Mid-Point Report (Form 2890). This requirement applies to all Mid-Point Reporting SNAP households, including SNAP/TANF households.
IES systematically generates Form 2891 two work days following the due date of Form 2890. The first mailing of Form 2891 is 08/07/18 to all customers who have not returned their Mid-Point Report by the 08/02/18 due date. It is important that staff enter the Mid-Point Report receipt date in IES so that the reminder notice is mailed only to households who didn't provide one. If a reminder notice is not sent to a SNAP household that fails to submit a complete Mid-Point Report by the due date, it results in a Quality Control error. The IES system generated action will help prevent this error.
Form 2891 does not serve as cancellation or denial notice. A SNAP or SNAP/TANF household is ineligible for benefits if it does not submit a complete Mid-Point Report by the due date and does not comply with the reminder notice within 10 days of the date of notice. IES systematically sends Form 360c to notify a household that their SNAP or SNAP/TANF benefits are canceled.
When a complete Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) is returned after the due date, but within 10 calendar days of the date Form 2891 is mailed, take action to process the Mid-Point Report no later than 10 calendar days after the household's normal issuance date, if eligible.
The Mid-Point Reporting Process in PM 19-07-07 and WAG 19-07-07 is revised with the new due date change to Form 2890 and to include the Mid-Point Report Reminder Notice and IES system procedures.
This release includes updated manual pages inadvertently omitted from a previous manual release.