FYI: July 2011 Clarification for Funeral and Final Disposition Payments for SSI and TAFDC Clients

Clarification for Funeral and Final Disposition Payments for SSI and TAFDC
Clients
TAO staff are reminded that if the deceased is not identified by a relative or funeral director as a current or former SSI, TAFDC or EAEDC client, before establishing the deceased as an EAEDC client on BEACON, case managers must determine if the client is in receipt of (or was in receipt of) TAFDC, EAEDC or SSI. SSI clients do not need to be entered onto BEACON. The Special Services Payment System (SSPS) was modified to validate the entry of SSPS benefits for SSI clients against SSI information available as part of the SDX update process. Please see Operations Memo 2010-54 for current procedures regarding Funeral and Final Disposition Payments.

Increase in Federal Mileage Rate
Effective July 1 2011, TAO staff must use the federal mileage rate of 55.5 cents per mile when calculating allowable transportation costs to be used as a medical or a dependent care deduction for SNAP. The new federal mileage rate represents an increase from the rate issued in an FYI in Transitions of February 2011.

Systematic Alien Verifications for Entitlements (SAVE) Enhancements
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has reported two upgrades to Systematic Alien Verifications for Entitlements (SAVE) effective July 13, 2011:

• First, in addition to the immigration status information provided previously by SAVE, DTA will now receive employment authorization information. For example, a response of “Non Immigrant” will now read “Non Immigrant – Temporary Employment Authorized” when appropriate.
• Second, due to these enhancements, DTA may experience fewer cases requiring the “Request Additional Verification” process.

The Training Job Aid for the Systematic Alien Verifications for Entitlements (SAVE) has been updated to reflect these changes as well as additional screen layout changes. See . . .instructions on using SAVE.