121-15        RETURNED WARRANTS / CHECKS

All undeliverable warrants will be returned to the Benefit Issuance & Recovery Unit (BIRU) and immediately canceled. If the warrant was returned by the recipient, the eligibility staff must stamp the warrant "Void" or "Cancel" and create a case note that explains why the warrant was returned. Refer to Admin MS 121-14A to void or cancel warrant payments.

Note:

Warrants / checks payable to the State of Alaska should not be voided or canceled. These warrants / checks should be routed to the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit for processing.

The BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit is responsible for updating the EISEligibility Information System Issuance History screen to reflect the returned and canceled warrant.

The BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit forwards the non-negotiable portion of the warrant to the appropriate district office. If the post office has written something on the returned warrant envelope (e. g. forwarding address, client deceased), the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit will forward the envelope as well. The Eligibility Technician can follow up on the reason why the post office returned the warrant and take necessary action on the case.

The EISEligibility Information System Issuance History screen will indicate if the warrant was simply canceled as Undeliverable (UD), possibly due to an address change. In this situation, the Eligibility Technician can reissue the warrant.

If the warrant has been returned because the client is deceased or has left the state, the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit will cancel the warrant in EISEligibility Information System using the Destroyed (DE) reason code. Payments canceled with this reason code cannot be reissued by the Eligibility Technician.

If the deceased client was eligible for the payment and the estate requests it, the Eligibility Technician must email the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit at hss.dpa.jnu.claims@alaska.gov to have the benefit reissued to the estate using a general warrant. The warrant replacement will be documented in the system with a case note.

If the Eligibility Technician determines the out-of-state client is eligible for the warrant, they must email the BIRUBenefit Issuance & Recovery Unit for assistance in reissuing the warrant.