SR 10-03 Dated 04/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases a change in the number of free cash ATM withdrawals an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cash assistance recipient is allowed each month before an EBT card transaction fee is charged. Effective April 1, 2010, cash assistance recipients who are issued their financial assistance benefits via EBT will be allowed two (2) free cash ATM withdrawals every month. Although the ATM chosen by the recipient may also collect fees for use of the ATM, an EBT-related transaction fee will only be charged for each ATM use exceeding the two free monthly ATM withdrawals allowed.

NOTE: "Cash back" transactions are available to EBT recipients purchasing goods at participating businesses, such as grocery and dry goods stores, and remain a fee-free option to access EBT financial assistance benefits.

This SR additionally releases related and unrelated updates to:

§   DFA Form 800A, DFA Programs and Services Guide. Text was added to incorporate the number of free EBT cash withdrawals allowed each month, as released in this SR. Additionally, changes in how the resource limit is set for the Medicare Beneficiary programs, which includes the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) and Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB/SLMB135) programs, required minor tweaks to this form as well; and

§   two Family Assistance Manual (FAM) pages to incorporate NH Child Care Scholarship policy changes released in SR 09-14, dated June 29, 2009. Both FAM pages formerly indicated that NH Child Care Scholarship would continue at Step 1 for certain FANF financial assistance recipients whose earnings increased due to a non-subsidized job or an On the Job Training (OJT) position. NH Child Care Scholarship changes released in June 2009, however, do not allow child care subsidy to automatically continue indefinitely and/or at a certain income Step based on current or previous FANF case status:

-   family income and household size are now the only factors that are used to determine income eligibility for NH Child Care Scholarship; and

-   all recipients must continue to meet all other NH Child Care Scholarship requirements, including completing redeterminations timely, to continue to receive this assistance.

POLICY

Effective April 1, 2010, cash assistance recipients who are issued their financial assistance via EBT will be allowed two (2) free ATM cash withdrawals every month. The ATM chosen by the recipient may issue its own fees for use of the ATM, but an EBT-related transaction fee will not be charged unless the recipient exceeds the two free ATM withdrawal usages allowed each month. Note that "cash back" transactions are available to EBT recipients purchasing goods at participating businesses, such as grocery and dry goods stores, and remain a fee-free option to access EBT financial assistance benefits.

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

No New HEIGHTS changes were required to implement the changes released in this SR.

UNRELATED POLICY CORRECTIONS

The following pages required additional revisions related to the NH Child Care Scholarship program changes released in SR 09-14, dated June 2009:

§   FAM 213.17, Termination of UP and Eligibility for Other Programs: the text indicating that Step 1 child care may be provided to Unemployed Parent (UP) program recipients whose financial assistance ends was revised. Former UP recipients may still be eligible for a NH Child Care Scholarship but Step designation will be solely based on income and household size, not former UP status.

§   FAM 808.39, NHEP Activities: On The Job Training (OJT): the text indicating that Step 1 child care will be automatically provided was revised. Child care assistance may be provided if the OJT recipient continues to meet all program requirements, including income limits.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

DFA Form 800A, DFA Programs and Services Guide, was revised to incorporate the maximum number of free EBT cash withdrawals allowed each month. Additionally, changes in how the resource limit is set for the Medicare Beneficiary programs required minor tweaks to this form as well. The current version of the form will be used until the supply is exhausted. At that time, the new version will be printed.

As the usage of this form is not changing, the instructions for the form required no updates.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

Section 213.17  Termination of UP and Eligibility for Other Programs

PART 707  ISSUING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS

Section 808.39  NHEP Activities: On The Job Training (OJT)

Revised Adult Assistance Manual Topics

PART 705  ISSUING BENEFITS

IMPLEMENTATION

The change in EBT cash withdrawal policy is effective April 1, 2010. The current version of Form 800A will be used until the supply is exhausted. At that time, the new version will be printed.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

On March 22, 2010, a press release from the DHHS Public Information Office describing the EBT cash withdrawal policy change will be posted on the DHHS website, the EBT cardholder web portal, and in various newspapers statewide.

TRAINING

No special training is planned or needed.

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line manuals.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for Division of Family Assistance policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DFA/LIBRARY, effective March 29, 2010. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Family Assistance and Adult Assistance Manuals.

DFA/JBV:s