What's new at MLS

Hello all, and happy new week!  I'm writing with an update on the doula bill, An Act relative to Medicaid coverage for doula services (H.1240/S.782). Click here for a fact sheet, and here for talking points. The bill would require MassHealth to cover doula…

Dear Feeding Our Neighbors and SNAP Coalition Members: As many of you know, tomorrow, Tuesday, September 12th, the Joint Committee on Children and Families is holding a public hearing on roughly 35 bills, including S.76/H.135 An Act establishing basic needs assistance for Massachusetts…

MassHealth and the Connector have posted the new paper application form to be used in applying for MassHealth, subsidized insurance through the Connector, CMSP and the Health Safety Net for people under age 65.  It's the ACA-3 (Oct…

USDA recently posted the state-by-state SNAP "timeliness processing" data for FFY 2013 (that's federal fiscal year for Oct 1, 2012 to Sept 31, 2013).    According to USDA, Massachusetts fell from 10th in the nation in FFY 2011 in processing SNAP applications to 39th in…

The Department of Public Health (DPH) has formally announced the WIC switch to the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system from the the more cumbersome food vouchers, This is a significant change for both WIC participants as well as retailers and should be an improvement in…

Have you heard from Massachusetts SNAP recipients about local stores/corner markets that have STOPPED accepting their EBT benefits? In the past month, we have become aware of a few stores that announced they no longer participate in EBT, and put up signs on their front doors…

We are writing to alert you to two recent Operations Memos where DTA has decided that when SNAP benefits are not being used fast enough or are "un-accessed" - DTA has a process for first taking the SNAP benefits "offline" and, if they remain un-accessed,…

DTA has issued new guidance, Operations Memo 2014-24, that changes how DTA confirms information they get about a SNAP or cash recipient's new job, an increase in wages or a problem with a Social Security number (SSN).  DTA typically gets wage information from the…

  The NEXT Boston-based SNAP Coalition Meeting is Tuesday, March 25th from 10 to Noon at St Francis House in Boston. The Coalition meeting will include discussion of the Farm Bill and Massachusetts "H-EAT program".  A more detailed agenda will follow.  Meanwhile, we…

See below for latest info forwarded from MassHealth & the Connector --   Temporary Coverage. Most people applying for help paying for insurance have gotten temporary coverage (MassHealth Standard Fee for Service; They get notice but no card,…