2100Authorization For Use of the Social Security Number
2200Requirement for Participation
2210Individuals Who Declare an SSN
2220Making Application for an SSN
2221 Completion of the SS-5
2300Failure to Comply
2310Determining Good Cause
2320Ending Disqualification
2400Verification/Enumeration
2401Multiple SSN's
2410Clearing the Mismatch Report
2500Income and Eligibility Verification System
2510Transmitting SSN's for IEVS
2520Transmitting SSN's for ESD
2530Transmitting SSN's for SSA
2540Transmitting SSN's for IRS
2600Use of IEVS Information
2610Using IEVS Information for Applicants
2620Using IEVS Information for Recipients
2700Verification of IEVS Information
2710IEVS Information Verified Upon Receipt
2720IEVS Information Not Verified Upon Receipt
2730Obtaining Independent Verification
2800IEVS Reports and the Pending Case Action File
2810IEVS Overdue Reports
2900IEVS Savings
2910Savings for Denied Applications
2920Savings for Approved Applications, Case Changes, and Closures
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2100 - 2210 SUBJECT: USE OF SSN/REQUIREMENT FOR
DATE: 9-1-92 PARTICIPATION
2100Authorization for Use of the Social Security Number (SSN)
To the extent determined necessary by the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) uses SSN's to access information regarding individual Food Stamp Program applicants and participants who receive benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act. This information will be used to determine a household's eligibility to receive food stamps or to verify information related to the household's benefit level. DHS will use the State Data Exchange (SDX) to the maximum extent possible.
SSN's will also be used to prevent duplicate participation, to facilitate mass changes in Federal benefits, and to determine the accuracy and/or reliability of information given by the household. In particular, SSN's will be used to request and exchange information on individuals through the Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS). See FSC 2500 for complete information regarding IEVS.
2200Requirement for Participation
The county office will require that a household applying for participa- tion in the Food Stamp Program for the first time declare (state) or apply for an SSN for each member before certification. Thereafter, whenever a new member is reported at application (initial or recertification), or reported change (see FSC 11433), the new member must declare or apply for an SSN prior to being added to the food stamp case as an eligible member. If individuals have more than one SSN, all numbers must be declared. For newborns, compliance with this requirement may be delayed for up to two calendar months. See FSC 2223.
The caseworker will explain to all households from which an SSN is being requested that refusal or failure to apply for an SSN without good cause will result in disqualification of the member from whom an SSN was not obtained. Disqualification is explained in FSC 2300. Good cause is explained in FSC 2310.
Households entitled to expedited service as specified in FSC 9200 may delay compliance with the SSN requirement for the first month of certification. See FSC 9442 for an explanation.
2210Individuals Who Declare an SSN
To declare an SSN, an individual must simply state the number. No verification need be presented. When an individual declares an SSN, the caseworker will document the SSN on the Face Sheet (EMS-275) and enter it on the Food Stamp Registration/Denial Form (EMS-211), and/or Authorization Document (EMS-233) for verification through the IEVS system as described in FSC 2400. The caseworker will not attempt to verify the SSN declared. However, if the household presents documentary evidence of the SSN such as a social security card, a copy of the documentary evidence will be made. The copy will be placed in the case record to be used if necessary to clear any SSN discrepancies which may occur through the IEVS system.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2220 - 2222 SUBJECT: MAKING APPLICATION FOR AN SSN
DATE: 9-1-92
2220Making Application for an SSN
Those individuals who do not declare an SSN as described in FSC 2210 must apply for an SSN before they are allowed to participate in the Food Stamp Program.
2221Non-U.S. Citizens/Age 18 and Older
All non-U.S. citizens (regardless of age) and all U.S. citizens age 18 and older are to be referred to the local SSA office to make application for an SSN. To make the referral, the caseworker must complete an SS-5 (Application for an SSN) and an EMS-12 (Enumeration Referral). On the SS-5 the caseworker will enter identifying information and a pseudo SSN. Consisting of the State Bendex Number (040) followed by a dash and a unique nine digit pseudo SSN assigned to this individual by the WDHS screen. The pseudo SSN must also be entered on the EMS-12 and the EMS-233.
NOTE:The proper entry of the pseudo SSN on the SS-5, EMS-12 and EMS-233 is essential to the verification of the SSN as explained in FSC 2400.
The EMS-12 and the SS-5 will be given or mailed to the applicant who must take the forms to the correct SSA office. The caseworker may explain to the applicant which documents will be acceptable to SSA as proof of age, identity and citizenship; however, the caseworker will not forward any such evidence to SSA for these individuals unless SSA specifically requests such evidence.
When the individual must apply for an SSN at the SSA office, it will be necessary for the county to obtain verification of the application before the individual will be allowed to participate in the Program even if otherwise eligible. See FSC 2400.
2222Citizens Under Age 18
The EMS caseworker will complete an SS-5 and EMS-12 for all U.S. citizens under age 18 who:
a.Do not have an SSN; or
b.Do not know if they have an SSN; or
c.Have applied for an SSN but have not yet received it. This will include newborns for whom a form SSA 2853 was completed after birth by the hospital to make application for an SSN. The household must present a copy of the form SSA 2853 as proof of application.
The worker will interview the parent or guardian and have that person sign the SS-5.
On the SS-5, the caseworker will enter the state BENDEX number (040) followed by a dash and the member's unique pseudo-SSN assigned by the WDHS screen. This number is essential for proper feedback to the Office of Information Systems and must be entered correctly on all SS-5's and EMS-12's so that SSA can identify which SS-5 relates to which EMS-12. This number (040-pseudo) must also be entered on the EMS-233.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2222 - 2222 SUBJECT: MAKING APPLICATION FOR AN SSN
DATE: 9-1-92
Other information necessary to complete an SS-5 is evidence of birth or age, identity, U.S. Citizenship or lawful alien status. Verification of each of these items is documented.
The Program Operations Manual System (POMS), Part 01, Chapter 003, Welfare Enumeration, subchapter 10, lists the evidence which must be presented to support SSN applications. A copy of the Welfare Enumeration Manual is available in each county office and should be consulted when there are questions about the evidence presented by the household.
Original copies should be sent to SSA with photo copies of documentation retained in the case record. All originals, except Administrative copies of Arkansas Birth Certificates, will be returned to the client if the SS-5 is processed to completion. If SSA does not have sufficient documentation to process the SS-5 to completion, all documentation along with form EMS-12 will be returned to the DHS county office for follow-up and resubmission. All Administrative copies of Arkansas Birth Certificates are to be returned to the DHS county office.
It is vital that section 10 of the SS-5 be completed properly by the county office. If the member has applied for an SSN with SSA and has not yet received the SSN, then 10a of the SS-5 will be checked "Yes". (This includes newborns for which a form SSA 2853 was completed by the hospital after birth.) If the certification worker is unsure if the member has previously applied for an SSN, then 10a will be checked "don't know". Improper completion of section 10 may result in duplicate SSN's being issued for the same individual.
After completion of the SS-5, the caseworker will record in the SSN column of form EMS-220, page 3, the date the SS-5 was sent. A copy of the SS-5 will be retained in the case record until verification of the SSN is displayed on WFSM.
All completed SS-5's will be mailed promptly to the local SSA Office.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the certification office with the documents needed to complete and submit the SS-5. If the household member applying for an SSN has been unable to obtain a required document, the caseworker will make every effort to assist the individual in obtaining the document.
For example, if a member who was born in the USA is unable to provide proof of age, the caseworker will refer to the Public Welfare Directory (if one is available) and provide the household with the address of the office which can supply a copy of the member's birth record. If a Directory is not available, the household should be instructed to write to the Health Department-Bureau of Vital Statistics in the capital city of the state in which the member was born.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2223 - 2223 SUBJECT: FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH
DATE: 9-1-92 THE SSN REQUIREMENT
2223Delay in SSN Requirement for Newborns
The SSN requirement may be delayed for newborn children for a period of up to two calendar months following the month in which the child was born. For example, for a child born on July 4 the SSN requirement may be delayed until October 1. The purpose of this delay is to allow newborns to participate in the Food Stamp Program while the parents obtain an SSN for the child or obtain the birth proof needed to apply for an SSN. It is expected that most households will be able to comply with this requirement within the two month period.
Households which are not able to comply with the SSN requirement before the end of the period may establish good cause as explained in FSC 2310.
When a household reports the addition of a member less than three months of age, the caseworker must determine how long the child may participate in the Food Stamp Program without complying with the SSN requirement. In some instances, the child may only participate for one month while the SSN requirement is delayed. For example, if a child is born on July 4, but the birth is not reported until August 4, the child may participate in the program for the month of September before complying with the SSN requirement. In some instances, the household must comply with the SSN requirement before the child is added. For example, a child is born July 4, but the birth is not reported until September 4. Before the child is added for the October issuance of benefits, the household must declare or apply for a social security number as explained in FSC 2200-2222.
After the worker determines the month or months during which the SSN requirement may be delayed for the newborn child, the household must be notified of the delay. The notice must:
1.Advise the household of the information it must provide;
2.State the date by which it is needed; and
3.Advise the household of the penalty for failure to provide the information - (disqualification of the newborn).
The issuance of the notice will be dependent upon the type of case action. At application approval (initial or recertification), a manual notice will be issued at the time of the approval. For a reported change, a manual notice will be issued when change is processed.
In order to insure that the household complies with the SSN requirement at the end of the specified period, the report of changes field on the EMS-233 will be utilized. Before a child is disqualified for failure to comply with the SSN requirement during the waiver period, a notice of adverse action must be sent to the household at least ten days before the disqualification occurs. (Notices sent in the last month of a household's certification period do not have to include a full ten day advance notice period if the household has not yet been recertified and there is not time before the end of the month to allow the full ten day period.) The notice will contain:
1.An explanation of the planned action;
2.The new benefit amount (after disqualification);
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2223 - 2310 SUBJECT: FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH
DATE: 9-1-92 THE SSN REQUIREMENT
3.The effective date of the action; and
4.Information about how the household may avoid disqualification.
If the household fails to provide the information or to establish good cause during the advance notice period, the newborn child will be disqualified. After the household complies with the SSN requirement for the newborn, the child may be added back to the household;s case as specified in FSC 2400.
2300Failure to Comply
If the caseworker determines that a household member has refused or failed without good cause to declare an SSN, to apply for an SSN, or to provide the documents needed to complete and submit an SS-5, then that individual will be ineligible to participate in the Food Stamp Program. The disqualification applies to the individual for whom the SSN is not provided and not to the entire household. The earned or unearned income and resources of an individual disqualified from the household for failure to comply with the SSN requirement will be counted as household income and resources to the extent specified in FSC 1623.1.
See FSC. 2411 for handling situations in which a household refuses to cooperate by furnishing the information necessary to complete automatic verification of an SSN by SSA.
2310Good Cause For Failure to Comply
If the household can show good cause exists for the failure of an otherwise eligible household member or to apply for an SSN in a timely manner, the member will be allowed to participate for one month in addition to the month of application. Good cause must be shown on a monthly basis in order for the household member to continue to participate until the SSN requirement is met.
Good cause does not include delays due to illness, lack of transporta- tion, or temporary absences. Good cause does include:
1.Failure of DEMS or SSA to complete an SS-5 even though all needed documentation has been supplied; or
2.Improper completion of an SS-5 by DEMS; or
3.The loss of the SS-5 by DEMS; or
4.Failure of the county office to submit the SS-5 to SSA.
When determining if good cause exists the caseworker must consider information from the household, DEMS and SSA.
Information from the household is necessary when assessing if the household failed to provide the documents necessary for completion of the SS-5. Information from DEMS and SSA will be considered when the SS-5 has not been completed even though the household has submitted all necessary information.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2320 - 2400 SUBJECT: VERIFICATION/ENUMERATION
DATE: 8-1-89
2320Ending Disqualification
A household member disqualified for failure to declare or apply for an SSN becomes an eligible member upon compliance with the SSN requirement.
See FSC 2400.
2400Verification/Enumeration
When a member must be referred to SSA to make application for an SSN, it will be necessary to obtain verification of the application before the member will be allowed to participate in the Food Stamp Program even if otherwise eligible. The SSA office will furnish the applicant with either an EMS-12 (Enumeration Referral) with Section II completed or an SSA-5028/5029 to serve as verification of application for an SSN. When a member is referred to SSA to make application for an SSN, an applica- tion from a household which is otherwise eligible will not be held longer than allowed by the normal processing standards solely to obtain verification of application for an SSN. (See FSC 8500 for an explanation of the normal processing standards.) Instead, the application will be approved at the end of the processing period, and the member who was referred to SSA will be disqualified. The member will be added to the household when the required verification is received. (See FSC 11430 when adding members to Non-MR households and 12610 when adding members to MR households.) If the household will not be eligible without the member who is to apply for an SSN, the application may be held for the full 60 day period to allow the household to furnish the required verification.
The status of SSN verification for each household member will be indicated by the entry of an enumeration code in field 46 of WFSM. The enumeration code is a minimum record requirement when adding members to a new or existing food stamp case.
The following are valid enumeration codes. Those codes designated by an asterisk are system assigned codes and other codes are county assigned. System assigned codes cannot be changed.
A - Application for SSN has been processed (SS-5 sent by EMS or by
Social Security.)
*C - Central Office has resolved SSN mismatch
*E - Enumerated SSN
N - Member has furnished SSN but SSN card/document has not been
viewed by worker
*R - SSN will be resubmitted to SSA via computer tape for
verification matching
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2400 - 2401 SUBJECT: VERIFICATION/ENUMERATION
DATE: 8-1-89
*S - SSA has verified member's SSN
V - Worker has viewed SSN card/document
W - SSN requirement is waived due to Expedited Services
X - Disqualified member for SSN requirement
NOTE:Enumeration codes "W" and "X" for members with the SSN requirement waived (expedited service) and disqualified respectively, must be updated by the case worker to the appropriate code when "W" and "X" are no longer applicable.
When an SS-5 is completed for a member without an SSN, an "A" will be entered in field 46; verification then occurs through enumeration.
Enumeration is the process through which individuals are assigned an SSN by SSA when an application for an SSN is filed via form SS-5.
The newly assigned SSN is transmitted to DHS by means of computer tape. When the SS-5 is coded properly, the Data Processing Unit automatically enters the newly assigned SSN onto the food stamp master file and changes the enumeration code to "E". Enumerated SSN's are considered to be verified when an "E" appears on WFSM.
SSN's declared by a household member are entered in field 25 of the WFSM and the proper code "N" or "V" is entered in field 46 of WFSM. SSN's identified by a code "N" or "V" will be submitted by computer tape on a monthly basis for verification. SSA will compare SSN, name, date of birth, and sex. If all data submitted by EMS agrees with SSA records, the enumeration code will be automatically changed to an "S". If one or more of the match items is not in agreement with SSA records, a mismatch will occur and a report will be generated.
2401Multiple SSN's
If the county office becomes aware that an individual has or is using more than one SSN then all SSN's for the individual must be entered on the Food Stamp Automated System--the WFAP (Application Screen) or the WFSM (Master File Screen) as appropriate. All SSN's will then be submitted to the sources listed in FSC 2500 for matching.
To enter a member with multiple SSN's on the WFAP screen, list each SSN for the individual with the person's name, date of birth, race code, and sex code. All SSN's for the individual will be sent for matching by the system.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2401 - 2410 SUBJECT: MULTIPLE SSN'S/THE MISMATCH
DATE: 4-15-88 REPORT
To enter a member with multiple SSN's on the WFSM screen, list the member's name, date of birth, and work registration code for each SSN of the individual. The second, third, etc. SSN will be coded as "11" in the member's eligibility status field and will be coded appropriately for enumeration. All SSN's for the individual will be sent for matching.
If the head of the household has multiple SSN's, the caseworker will decide which number will serve as the case number. Multiple SSN's should not be deleted from the system until the member is deleted.
This policy does not apply to pseudo SSN's. Pseudo SSN's will be replaced by the system or the caseworker when the individual's actual SSN becomes known.
2410Clearing the Mismatch Report
When a mismatch occurs during the verification of a declared SSN, the enumeration code "N" or "V" is changed to a mismatch code and a report entitled "Food Stamp SSN's Not Verified for Recipients in County " is generated. The report contains the following information:
Casehead Name;
Category (1-NA, 2-PA);
Case Number;
SSN Submitted (SSN which was sent to SSA);
Member Name (member whose information mismatched); and
Verification Message.
The verification message is indicated by a code. (This code also appears on WFSM as the enumeration code when a mismatch occurs.) These codes and the message indicated are listed below.
1 - SSN not on SSA files
2 - Name matches, DOB matches, Sex does not match
3 - Name matches, Sex matches, DOB does not match
4 - Name matches, DOB and Sex do not match
5 - Name does not match, DOB and Sex not checked
To clear this report, the following actions must be taken.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2410 - 2410 SUBJECT: THE MISMATCH REPORT
DATE: 3-16-87
If a mismatch on SSN or Name has occurred, the caseworker should obtain a copy of the SSN card and confirm the name and number. If either is different from the information on WFSM, the necessary correction should be made by processing a change on the EMS-233T. The system will then change the mismatch code to code "R" in the enumeration field and the SSN will be resubmitted to SSA on the next monthly SSN verification tape. If the Number and Name match what appears on WFSM, send a copy of the SSN card/document with a memo to the Systems Coordinator, Food Stamp Section, Central Office. The memo should list the casehead name case number, member name, member SSN, and the reason for the mismatch.
If a mismatch on Date of Birth or Sex has occurred, the caseworker should obtain a copy of a birth document and verify the date of birth and sex. Birth documents include:
1.Birth certificates;
2.Government records such as civil records;
3.Court records;
4.Draft and military records;
5.Census Bureau records (BC-600 revised 10-4-74);
6.Organizational records such as records of public or private agencies, fraternal societies, trade union records, or medical records which give the birthdate of an individual;
7.School records;
8.Family birth records kept in a permanent register, usually a Bible; or
9.Other documents which confirm the correct date of birth and/or sex of the individual.
This document should be compared to the information on WFSM and, if different, WFSM should be corrected by processing a change on the EMS-233T. The system will then change the mismatch code to code "R" in the enumeration field and the SSN will be resubmitted to SSA on the next monthly SSN verification tape. If the date of birth and sex match the information on WFSM, send a copy of the documentation with a memo to the Systems Coordinator, Food Stamp Section, Central Office. The memo should list the casehead name, case number, member name, member SSN, member date of birth, and the reason for the mismatch.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2410 - 2411 SUBJECT: THE MISMATCH REPORT
DATE: 8-1-89
The "SSN's Not Verified for FS Recipient's" report must be cleared by the county office within 60 days of receipt.
SSN mismatches forwarded to the Food Stamp System Coordinator for resolution will be researched with SSA. If the SSN is invalid, the County Office will be notified. If the SSN is valid, SSA will provide DEMS with a printout (similar to the TPQY response) which lists the name and date of birth currently listed on SSA files for the SSN. If the SSA printout agrees with the WFSM information, the Food Stamp System Coordinator will assign code "C" to the member's Enumeration field. Code "C" will designate that Central Office has reconciled the SSN mismatch with SSA and that the SSN is considered verified. If the SSA printout is inconsistent with WFSM information, the printout will be forwarded to the County Office for follow-up action. The following procedure will be used to correct discrepancies between the SSA printout and WFSM.
If the SSN is invalid, a SS-5 should be completed for the member and forwarded to the SSA. The Enumeration field for the member should be annotated with code "A". A unique pseudo SSN need not be obtained as long as the invalid SSN for the member is used in the NPN field of the SS-5.
If the SSN is valid but the name and/or date of birth contained on the SSA printout differs from the information on WFSM, efforts should be made to obtain verification of birth and name (for example, marriage license) to determine which record has the correct information. If WFSM has incorrect data, an EMS-233T will be completed and the corrections input on WFSM. The error code in the Enumeration field on WFSM will be changed to "R" by the system and the SSN will be resubmitted to SSA for verification. If the information on the SSA printout is incorrect, an SS-5 should be completed to change the SSA files to agree with the verified information. The Enumeration code should be changed to code "R" so that the SSN will be forwarded to SSA for reverification of the SSN.
2411Household Cooperation In Clearing The Mismatch Report
When declared SSN's are returned by SSA as unverified, it is often necessary for the household to furnish the information necessary to clear the report "SSN's Not Verified for FS Recipients." If a household refuses to provide the information necessary to clear the mismatch report, the entire household (and not just the member) will be determined ineligible in accordance with FSC 8320, "Refusal to Cooperate Following Certification."
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2411 - 2411 SUBJECT: HOUSEHOLD COOPERATION IN
DATE: 8-1-89 CLEARING THE MISMATCH REPORT
Normally, for a determination of refusal to cooperate to be made, the household must be able to cooperate but clearly demonstrate that it will not take the necessary action. In the case of providing information necessary to clear an SSN mismatch, the household may demonstrate a refusal to cooperate by not taking the actions necessary to correct the problem with the SSN even though no household member has declared that the household refuses to cooperate. The household's unwillingness to cooperate will have the effect of a refusal to cooperate and the entire household will be determined ineligible.
Before a household can be determined to have refused to cooperate in clearing the SSN mismatch, two written notices are required. The first notice must advise the household of the mismatch, what caused the problem (e.g., - name is incorrect) and what information the household must provide to resolve the problem, The household will be given 10 days to furnish the information.
If the household does not furnish the needed information by the end of the designated 10 day period an advance notice of adverse action will be issued as instructed in the Glossary, definition of "notice of action." The notice will specify:
.That the household has 10 days to furnish the information needed to clear the SSN mismatch;
.That failure to provide the information will result in closure of the household's food stamp case; and
.That if there are problems in obtaining the needed material, the household should contact the county office at once.
If a household claims it cannot cooperate for reasons beyond its control, the caseworker must substantiate the household's inability to cooperate. For example, a household may claim it cannot verify a name change because official records were destroyed in a fire. The caseworker would attempt to verify the occurrence of the fire because SSA records cannot be corrected without the missing documentation. If the caseworker verifies that the household is unable to cooperate in the verification of the SSN, the household may continue to participate if otherwise eligible.
All information regarding determinations of refusal to cooperate in clearing SSN mismatches must be fully documented in the case record.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2500 - 2540 SUBJECT: TRANSMITTING SSN'S FOR
DATE: 5-1-95 MATCH THROUGH IEVS
2500Income and Eligibility Verification System
By means of an Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS), the Food Stamp Program requests wage, unearned income, and benefit information from the Employment Security Division (ESD), the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The information is requested and used for all applicant and recipient members, including excluded members, whenever the SSN of a member is available.
2510Transmitting SSN's for IEVS
When an SSN is entered onto the food stamp application file (WFAP) or the food stamp master file (WFSM), the SSN is transmitted to ESD, SSA, and IRS for information matching.
NOTE:Any SSN recognized to be a pseudo is not transmitted until the SSN is updated on WFAP or WFSM.
2520Transmitting SSN's to ESD
Applicant SSN's are transmitted weekly for ESD for the purpose of matching Unemployment Benefits (UBI) data and wage data. Recipient SSN's are transmitted monthly for UBI data and are transmitted twice quarterly for wage data.
2530Transmitting SSN's to SSA
SSN's of applicants and recipients are transmitted to SSA monthly to verify that the SSN is valid and belongs to the member for whom it was reported. SSN's are also transmitted to SSA to be matched with BENDEX (Beneficiary Data Exchange System) which contains Title II (Federal Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Benefits) payment data and BENDEX wage and pension data, and to be matched with SDX (State Data Exchange System) which contains SSI payment data.
SSN's of applicants and recipients are transmitted to SSA monthly. The county office will be notified when changes occur in the BENDEX and SDX system information.
2540Transmitting SSN's to IRS
SSN's of applicants are transmitted to IRS monthly. If the SSN is matched with IRS records, unearned income data is reported to the county office for reconciliation with case record information. The resulting reports are called "State Resource Reports."
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2600 - 2620 SUBJECT: USE OF IEVS INFORMATION
DATE: 5-1-95
2600Use of IEVS Information
Information obtained through IEVS is used to verify household eligibility, to verify the proper amount of food stamps the household is eligible to receive, to investigate and determine if households received food stamps to which they were not entitled, and to obtain information useful in conducting criminal or civil prosecutions based on improper receipt of food stamps.
2610Using IEVS Information for Applicants
If IEVS information is received within the application period it must be used to determine household eligibility and benefits. However, eligibility and benefit determinations will not be delayed solely due to wait for IEVS information. Information received from an IEVS source after an eligibility determination has been made is considered information for recipients and is used as specified in FSC 2620 unless the household is subject to quarterly reporting. If the household is subject to quarterly reporting, see FSC 11560-11562.
2620Using IEVS Information for Recipients
The county office will initiate and pursue case action on IEVS information about recipients so the action is complete within 45 days from the rundate of each IEVS report. Case action includes:
-Reviewing the IEVS information and comparing it to case record information;
-For all new information or previously unverified information received, contacting the household and/or collaterals to resolve discrepancies; and
-If discrepancies warrant reducing benefits or terminating eligibility, sending notices of adverse action.
The county office may complete the actions described above after the 45th day from the rundate of an IEVS report on no more than 20% of the information items received only if:
-The actions cannot be completed is because verification requested from collateral contacts has not been received, and
-The actions are completed when the verification is received or at the time the notice of action expires, whichever is earlier.
When IEVS information substantiates an overissuance, the county office will establish claims as specified in FSC 15000.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2700 - 2710.2 SUBJECT: VERIFICATION OF INFORMATION
DATE: 5-1-95 RECEIVED THROUGH IEVS
2700IEVS Verification and Notification/Households Not Subject to Quarterly Reporting
2710Matches Covered by the Computer Matching and Privacy Act
Computer matches involving federal agencies are covered by the Computer Matching and Privacy Act. These are:
1.Social Security Administration (SSA) matches including BENDEX change, BENDEX Error, BENDEX Wage, SSI Mismatch and New SSI Cases; and
2.Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Matches.
2710.1Verification Under the Computer Matching Act
Due to the acknowledged quality of the information contained in some SDX and BENDEX matches, a household affected by one of these matches must provide verification only if it disagrees with the information. These matches are the BENDEX Change, New SSI Cases, SSI Mismatch and COLA Mismatch (when involving SSI recipients).
For other matches (BENDEX Wage, BENDEX Error, IRS Matches), independent verification must always be obtained by contacting the household and/or the appropriate income, resource or benefit source. Independent verification will include verification of the amount of the asset or income involved, whether the household actually has or had access to the asset or income to the extent it would be countable for food stamp purposes, and the period during which the access occurred.
If the household provides documentation inadequate to verify the information, the caseworker must contact other sources in an attempt to resolve the discrepancy and to verify the information. If the discrepancy cannot be resolved because a person outside the household will not provide needed verification, the household's statements regarding the asset or income will be accepted. In no instance will a household be denied benefits solely because a person outside the household (including those in businesses or other agencies) cannot or will not provide the required verification.
2710.2Notification Requirements Under the Computer Matching Act
For each match covered by the Computer Matching and Privacy Act which results in a case closure or an allotment reduction, a 10 day notice of adverse action is required. The purpose of the notice is to provide the household with the information obtained in the match and to advise the household that they may contest the information if they disagree with it.
For matches where, due to the acknowledged quality of information, verification is not required unless the household disagrees with the information, only a single 10 day notice of adverse action is required.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2710.2 - 2720 SUBJECT: VERIFICATION OF INFORMATION
DATE: 8-1-90 RECEIVED THROUGH IEVS
For matches where independent verification must always be provided, two notices of action are required. The first notice must inform the household of the information received and request that the household respond within 10 days. If the household fails to respond or if the household provides required verification and, as a result, a case closure or an allotment reduction occurs, a 10 day notice of adverse action will be provided.
2720State Matches
IEVS reports from ESD, including the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefit Matches and the Wage Exchange System Matches, are not affected by the Computer Matching and Privacy Act.
Information from UI Benefit Matches is considered verified upon receipt. Information from Wage Exchange System Matches is not considered verified upon receipt.
The caseworker will terminate, deny, or reduce food stamps based on information obtained through UI Benefit Matches unless the information is considered questionable. If UI Benefit information is considered questionable, it will be considered unverified. The caseworker will independently verify ESD Wage information by contacting the household and/or the appropriate employer.
If the caseworker chooses to contact the employer and the employer provides verification of wages, the appropriate action will be taken. For example, a household member is still employed. The earned income will be added to the household's budget, and a notice of adverse action will be issued as specified in the Glossary, definition of "Notice of Action" and an overpayment will be prepared. (The household must be provided with an opportunity to request an administrative hearing prior to the adverse action.)
If the caseworker chooses to contact the household for independent verification, two written notices of action are required. The first notice must inform the household of the information received and request that the household respond within 10 days. If the household fails to respond in a timely manner, the county office will send a 10 day notice of adverse action advising the household that failure to respond will result in case closure.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2800 - 2805 SUBJECT: TRANSMITTING SSN'S FOR
DATE: 5-1-95 MATCH THROUGH IEVS
2800IEVS Reports for Food Stamp Applicants
Each IEVS report consists of a Summary Listing and Individual Case Sheets. With the exception of State Resource (IRS) and BENDEX Wage, all Case Sheets are to be filed in the case record.
Each IEVS report contains an "Other Assistance" area. This area will list an indicator if the member is receiving or has applied for assistance for AFDC, Food Stamps, or Medicaid and/or the case number, category, and worker number for the other assistance. Valid codes may include:
AFDC - Member is in an open AFDC case
FS - Member is in an open Food Stamp case
MED - Member is in an open Medicaid case
IMAP - Member is in a pending AFDC or Medicaid application
FSAP - Member is in a pending Food Stamp application
The following reports are generated to the county office for program applicants as a result of computer matches with each of the IEVS sources. The report numbers listed are for the Summary Report and the Case Sheet Report.
Report
NumberReport Title & Content
FS-1946BENDEX Changes for Food Stamp Applicants As of ______ For Benefit
FS-1947Month ______
Casehead Name
Case Number
Register Number
Category
Member Name (from WFAP)
Member SSN (from WFAP)
SSA Claim Number (SSN under which the member is receiving SSA
benefits)
Payment Code: A - Adjusted SSA benefit
CP - Current payment of SSA to
member listed
S - Suspension of SSA benefit
T - Termination of SSA benefit
Payment Amount
FS-1957BENDEX Wage/Pension Report for Food Stamp Applicants
FS-1958
Casehead Name
Case Number
Register Number
Member Name
Member SSN
Category
Employer/Payer Name & Address
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2800 - 2805 SUBJECT: TRANSMITTING SSN'S FOR
DATE: 5-1-95 MATCH THROUGH IEVS
Report
NumberReport Title & Content
Wage/Pension Year (year in which wage or pension was earned/paid)
Wage/Pension Amount
Type: AG - Agricultural
PE - Pension
SE - Self-employment
FS-1950BENDEX Error Report for Food Stamp Applicants
FS-1951
Casehead Name
Case Number
Register Number (from WFAP)
Member Name
Member SSN
Category
SSA Claim Number (SSN under which member is receiving SSA benefit)
Member Date of Birth
BENDEX Error Message (message will instruct the county regarding
Action to be taken to resolve the IEVS data)
FS-1974State Resource Information for Tax Year _______ For Food Stamp
FS-1986Applicants
Casehead Name
Register Number
Member Name
Member SSN
Category
Income Amount
Type (specific type of unearned income on file with IRS)
Payer Name
Payer Address
Payer Account Number (identifies entity such as a bank which
reported the data to the IRS)
The county office must review IEVS information on each report in accordance with FSC 2600 and 2700 and reconcile the information with case record information. When the necessary action has been taken on the case, the county office will document the case regarding its findings. Refer to FSC 2610 and 2620 for time frames for clearing report information.
2805IEVS Recipient Reports and Pending Case Action File
This section will apply only to recipients not subject to quarterly reporting. See FSC 11560-11562 for instructions on processing IEVS reports on quarterly reporting households.
The Food Stamp Pending Case Action File (WFPC) is used to track the timeliness and disposition of information items sent to county offices on the IEVS reports for food stamp recipients. Refer to Appendix E of the DCO User Manual for the WFPC format.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2805 - 2805 SUBJECT: TRANSMITTING SSN'S FOR
DATE: 5-1-95 MATCH THROUGH IEVS
Each item for food stamp recipients on the IEVS reports is added to WFPC by listing the case number, member SSN, member name, category, pending date (the run date of the IEVS report), and a pending code. The WFPC Pending Code, name and number of the IEVS report, and the information appearing on each report are listed below. Only those items requiring clarification are accompanied with an explanation.
Report Pend
Number Code Report Title & Content
FS-0036MUESD Unemployment Insurance Benefits Food Stamp Recipient
FS-0025Match for Month Ending ________
Casehead Name
Case Number
Category
Worker Number
Beneficiary Name (member listed on WFSM)
SSN (of beneficiary)
ESD Name (member on file with ESD)
Maximum Weekly Benefit
Check Amount (cumulative for the month through the Issue Date)
Issue Date (of check)
FS-0032RWESD Wage Exchange System Food Stamp Recipient Match for
FS-2463Quarter Ending ________
Casehead Name
Case Number
Category
Worker Number
Beneficiary Name (member listed on WFSM)
SSN (of employee)
Employer
Quarter Wage Amount
Employer Address
FS-1944BCBENDEX Change for Food Stamp Recipients As Of _____ For
FS-1945Benefit Month ________
Casehead Name
Case Number
Category
Member Name (member on WFSM)
Member SSN
SSA Claim Number (SSN under which member receives SSA
benefits)
Payment Code: A - Adjusted SSA benefit
CP - Current payment of SSA to member listed
S - Suspended SSA benefit
T - Terminated SSA benefit
SSA Payment Amount
FS SSA Amount (SSA amount listed on WFSM for member)
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2805 - 2805 SUBJECT: TRANSMITTING SSN'S FOR
DATE: 5-1-95 MATCH THROUGH IEVS
Report Pend
Number Code Report Title & Content
FS-1959BWBENDEX Wage/Pension Report for Food Stamp Recipients
FS-1960
Casehead Name
Case Number
Category
Member Name
Member SSN
Wage/Pension Year (year in which wage or pension was
earned/paid)
Wage/Pension Amount
Type: AG - Agricultural
PE - Pension
SE - Self-employment
Employer/Payer Name
Employer/Payer Address
FS-1948BEBENDEX Error Report for Food Stamp Recipients
FS-1949
Casehead Name
Case Number
Category
Member Name
Member SSN
SSA Claim Number (SSN under which member is receiving SSA
benefits)
Date of Birth (of member)
BENDEX Error Message (message will instruct county what
action is to be taken to resolve the IEVS data)
FS-1933SNNew SSI Cases for Food Stamp Recipients As Of _____ For
FS-1964Benefit Month ________
Casehead Name
Case Number
Category
Member Name
Member SSN
Date of SSI Eligibility
SSI Amount
Payment Status Code (C01 & M01 indicate that SSI is in
current payment status)
SSI Case Number (from WASM)
Category (of SSI - see ACES Data Element codes in Appendix
A, Category)
Lump Sum Amount (of SSI, if any)
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2805 - 2805 SUBJECT: TRANSMITTING SSN'S FOR
DATE: 5-1-95 MATCH THROUGH IEVS
Report Pend
Number Code Report Title & Content
FS-1932SXSSI Mismatch Report for Food Stamp Recipients As Of _____
FS-1965For Benefit Month _______
Casehead Name
Case Number
Category
Member Name
Member SSN
ACES SSI Amount (ACES contains all SSI records and the ACES
file will be interfaced with FS monthly to determine if
FS and ACES SSI amounts agree. If they do not agree, a
mismatch will occur and will be included on this report.)
Payment Status Code (ACES codes C01 & M01 will be reported
as C; E01 & H series will be reported as H; N series will
be reported as N; P01 & S will be reported as S; T series
will be reported as T. Codes explanations are:
C - Current pay (receiving SSI)
H - SSI case & payment are on hold
N - Member is not eligible for SSI
S - SSI payment is in suspension
T - SSI is terminated
FS SSI Amount (SSI amount listed for member on WFSM)
Each of IEVs recipients reports is accompanied by an Individual Case Sheets. These sheets are used as the authorization documents for clearing the information items listed on the WFPC screen. The lower portion of each recipient Case Sheet contains the following area to be completed by the caseworker upon disposition of the IEVS data.
TO: TERMINAL OPERATOR
FROM: (Certification Worker)
DATE:
RE: PENDING CASE ACTION FILE (WFPC)
PLEASE CLEAR THE ABOVE-REFERENCED CASE BY ENTERING THE FOLLOWING:
CASE NUMBER PENDING DT/CD CLEAR DATE CODE
The county office must review IEVS information on each report in accordance with FSC 2600 and 2700 and reconcile the information with case record information. When the necessary action has been taken on the case, the caseworker will complete the lower section of the case sheet and forward it to the terminal operator for keying. Valid clearance codes are in Appendix C, FACTS Data Element Codes. The clearance date and appropriate clearance code must be listed on each recipient case sheet and keyed to WFPC. In addition to completing the case sheet with the information required to clear the item from the pending case action file, the county office will also document the case record regarding its findings. Refer to FSC 2620 for the time frames for clearing report information.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2810 - 2910 SUBJECT: IEVS REPORTS
DATE: 4-1-91
2810IEVS Overdue Reports
A report entitled "AIMS Overdue Case Action Report for Food Stamps for County for (ESD UI, ESD WAGE, IRS, BENDEX WAGE, BENDEX TITLE II, or SDX) Matches from Pending Date " is generated monthly based on non-cleared data on WFPC and is forwarded to the appropriate county office. The report lists the number of and the percentage of overdues by category for the specific report cited (ESD UI, IRS, etc.). A copy of the report is also sent to the Food Stamp Section slot 1241 and the appropriate Program Support Manager. If the cumulative percent overdue for Food Stamps (categories 1 and 2 on the report) exceeds 20%, corrective action should be taken to clear the items still pending and to ensure that future IEVS information items are timely disposed.
At the end of each month a report entitled "Overdue Food Stamp Case Actions for County " is generated and forwarded to the appropriate county office. The report lists the WFPC cases pending clearance which have been on WFPC for more than 45 days.
2900IEVS Savings
The caseworker will determine the amount of case savings, if any, which resulted from IEVS reported information. Savings will be entered on WFAP by means of the DCO-211 or DCO-220 for denied applications and to WFSM by means of the DCO-233 for approved applications and case changes.
2910Savings for Denied Applications
If as a result of the IEVS information the application is denied, the amount of case savings will be the amount for which the case would have been certified if the IEVS information had not been reported. This amount will be entered in the SAVINGS field of the DCO-211 or DCO-220 (page 1). A code representing the IEVS source which resulted in the denial of the application or the IEVS source which contributed the most to the denial of the application will be entered in the SAVINGS TYPE field of the DCO-211 or DCO-220 (page 1). If the IEVS information was already known to the county office at the time the IEVS report is received and the report information was not the primary reason for denial, then no savings will be entered on the DCO-211 or DCO-220. Valid codes for SAVINGS TYPE are in the DCOUM, Appendix C, FACTS Data Element Codes-Savings Type.
Savings information should be keyed at the same time the denial information is keyed to WFAP.
FOOD STAMP CERTIFICATION MANUAL SECTION: THE SSN REQUIREMENT/IEVS
2920 - 2920 SUBJECT: SAVINGS CAUSED BY IEVS
DATE: 4-1-91
2920Savings for Approved Applications, Case Changes, and Closures
If IEVS information causes the application to be approved with a smaller food stamp allotment, the caseworker will determine the amount of savings by subtracting the amount for which the case would have been certified from the actual amount. The result will be entered in field 79 of the DCO-233 (SAVINGS AMOUNT) at the time the case is certified. Since the allotment decreased as a result of the IEVS information, the SAVINGS AMOUNT will be preceded by code "D" (decrease). Therefore, if the amount of the savings is $25 then the field 79 entry would be entered as "D 0025". The SAVINGS TYPE will be entered in field 80 of the DCO-233.
If the IEVS information caused the application to be approved with a larger food stamp allotment, the caseworker would determine the amount of savings by subtracting the actual amount from the amount for which the case would have been certified. The result will be entered in field 79 of the DCO-233 at the time the case is certified with a code "I" (increase) following the savings amount "I 0025".
The same principle used to determine savings for approved applications will be used for allotment changes and case closures which directly resulted from IEVS reported information. Fields 79 and 80 of the DCO-233 will be used to record the IEVS savings source and the increased (I) or decreased (D) IEVS savings source and the increased (I) or decreased (D) IEVS savings amount.