STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: 2017-03

MANUAL: Administrative Procedures Manual

DATE: December 22, 2017

Several sections of the Administrative Procedures Manual have been revised. Highlights of the revisions are described below.

If you have any questions please contact Field Services at dpafield@alaska.gov or the Policy and Program Development Team at dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES:

100-3H Request for Information from Other Agencies

• Added Food Bank of Alaska to list of partner agencies that DPA can release and receive requested information without written release of information from clients as a signed MOA between DPA and the Food Bank of Alaska is in place

100-10C Potential Conflict of Interest

• Clarified that DPA staff may not access, view, or take any action on cases related to their own case, a family member, an acquaintance or friend

• Clarified who is considered “family” when determining if DPA staff involvement in the case is appropriate or not

• Updated section to include disciplinary action and termination for inappropriate involvement in cases by a DPA employee

103  Casefiles

103-4 Processing Returned Mail

• Updated procedure on returned mail with no forwarding address or out-of-state forwarding address for SNAP, Medicaid, TA, and APA programs

103-6C Records Storage Procedures

• Updated contact information regarding concerns and issues with AAA Archives
  

104  Statewide Process Management

104 Statewide Process Management

• Updated that office use and maintain the EIS alerts and ARIES task system in accordance with the HowWeGuide

• Added each office is responsible for utilizing PathOS to track, assign, manage, and monitor, and claim workflow and production

104-1A Offices Participating in First Contact Resolution

• Updated Coastal office as a Virtual Call Center and they do not have a lobby or see clients face to face

• Updated any documents received by the Coastal Office is triaged to the Gambell office’s PathOS tracks

104-1C Applications, Add-to-Programs and Reapplications (GEN 72)

• Replaced reference to the SPMG with the HowWe Guide

• Clarified that DPA staff follow the process in the HowWe Guide (Addendum 17) for LTC applications and documents and forward Heating Assistance office to Juneau

• Updated that when recertification, report of change, and other documents are received for the Kodiak Office, they are sent to the Gambell Office

• Added Homer Office as intake only office

• Removed Kotzebue Office

105   Verification Procedures                

105-9 Verification of Citizenship and Identity in Eligibility Files

• Replaced Family Medicaid with MAGI Medicaid

• Clarified that staff refer to verification procedures outlined in ADLTC MS 520(B) or MAGI MS 808-6(B) when requesting copy verification of citizenship or identity

• Updated that staff call First Contact Resolution representative for the office to request documents and verification

106   Interface Matches              

106 Interface Matches

• Renamed QA Reviewer with Program Integrity & Analysis (PI&A) throughout the section
                       

106-2B Confidentiality and Disclosure Information

• Added that PI&A and Office of Information Technology authorized employees are required to have background check and fingerprinting completed
  
  

108   Notices                     

108-3B Guidelines for Creating the Free From Section

• Clarified notices sent to clients must contain specific information used in the determination, which include all source of countable and gross income, individuals receiving the income, and the amount allowed for expenses, standard deductions and non-standard deductions
  

120   Fee Agents               

120-2 Statewide Fee Agent Coordination

• Updated the Fee Agent process for fee agent coordination as responsibilities have changed for Field Services and the field offices  
  

120-3B New Selection (Hire) Process

• Clarified the selection process for new fee agents
                       

120-4 Fee Agent Training

• Added the Fee Agent Training and HIPAA Training must be completed to become a fee agent
                       

120-6 Fee Agent Termination

• Added DPA may terminate an agreement with a fee agent if monthly report forms are habitually submitted late

109   Addendum          

109-A CANO Format

• Updated that if the case is pended, the needed information must be documented in the case note