109-9 ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

Although the desk guides and templates are designed to inform staff about information they need to include in specific CANO Case Notes entries, the following sections provide additional guidelines to further clarify expectations for documentation in important areas affecting eligibility determination and benefit amount:

109-9 A      CANO Case Notes TITLES

Staff have the freedom to create their own case note titles.  However, staff must always remember that CANO Case Notes titles should reflect what is in the body of the CANO Case Notes . Titles must be clear, descriptive and specific. Several recommendations and examples of CANO Case Notes titles are provided below.

Note:

When creating CANO Case Notes titles for applications and reapplications, staff must always include the program name, date of application, and action.

1. Recommended Keywords or Phrases

To easily locate information in a CANO Case Notes , the following wording or phrases are recommended to be included in titles:

1. •     Change Reported - ADDR/EAIN/DEMH

   • Change Reported - Job Changed

   • Change Reported - New HH member

   • TA/FS/ME Intake App - Interview

   • TA/FS/ME App - PENDED

   • FS/ME Recert - No Interview

   • TA/FS/ME Recert Approved

   • Citizenship and Identity

   • 12MCEP for T-MED

   • Fair Hearing Request

   • Prehearing Conference

   • Fraud Referral

   • ATAP Incapacity Determination

   • Drug Felony

   • Unusual Alien Situation

   • Case Corrections for QA Quality Assurance Review

2. Examples of CANO Case Notes Titles

Some examples of good CANO Case Notes titles are provided below:

1. •     TA/FS/MED APP - 5/5/09 - APPROVED

   • FS/ME REVIEW - 8/8/08 - PENDED

   • FS/ME REVIEW CONT - 8/8/08 - APPROVED

   • FS/ME REVIEW - 6/16/08 - DENIED FS/AUTH ME

   • TA/ME APP - 7/5/08 - PENDED/VOL QUIT

   • CHANGE/NEW JOB/MOVED

   • CHANGE/UIB ENDED/JOB BEGAN

   • INCAPACITY DECISION FOR SALLY

   • FELONY CONVICTION SET ASIDE

   • FAIR HEARING REQUEST REC’D 012607

   • PREHEARING CONFERENCE HELD 012707

   • CASE CORRECTIONS FOR QA Quality Assurance REVIEW # ______

109-9 B     USE OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

Staff may use common abbreviations and acronyms in CANO Case Notes documentation. They are generally used to shorten phrases in order to save space or to avoid awkward repetition of phrases. When using acronyms and abbreviations, follow this guideline:
 

1. •    Utilize the list of commonly used abbreviations and acronyms in DPA (available as Addendum I).

   • When using a word or phrase that is not on the list, spell the phrase out and follow it with the abbreviation or acronym in parentheses. This ensures the reader clearly understands the meaning of the abbreviation or acronym and what it is being used for.

109-9 C      CANO Case Notes FOR REVIEWS AND RECERTS

The CANO Case Notes Desk Guide is pertinent to both intake and maintenance processing.  The purpose of conducting a review or recertification is to determine continued eligibility and establish a new certification period. The CANO Case Notes for a review or recert CANO Case Notes should address much of the same information addressed in the documentation supporting a determination made on an initial application.

109-9 D     INCOME INFORMATION AND CALCULATIONS

Clear documentation of income calculations is critical for every eligibility determination.  Document all income, how it was verified, and calculated for each budget month.

109-9 E     DISABILITY INFORMATION

The subject of disability is pertinent to all programs (incapacity for ATAP Adult Temporary Assistance Program , exemption for FS Food Stamps , disability for APA Adult Public Assistance / IA Interim Assistance , CAMA Chronic and Acute medical Assistance , and Medicaid). Staff must determine if disability exists in the home and document it accordingly.

109-9 F     RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program rules require staff to discuss rights and responsibilities with all applicants and complete the documentation process. Supervisors and case reviewers cannot assume that staff discussed the Rights and Responsibilities form (Gen 51) with the client. Staff must document that rights and responsibilities were discussed with the client and note any other relevant information about the discussion.

109-9 G     DOCUMENTING CITIZENSHIP AND IDENTITY FOR MEDICAID

For new Medicaid applications, staff will create a separate CANO Case Notes to document the verification of citizenship and identity and the type of verification obtained for each individual.

The CANO Case Notes title will be ”CITIZENSHIP AND IDENTITY.”

If a change in household composition is reported, staff must create a new CANO Case Notes to document the change. The CANO Case Notes title will be ”CITIZENSHIP AND IDENTITY – UPDATED.”

109-9 h  DOCUMENTING TPL Third Party Liability CODE

Documenting Third Party Liability (TPL Third Party Liability) for Medicaid cases is necessary to assist Health Care Services in billing the appropriate agency. When TPL Third Party Liability exists in a case, the following information must be included in the CANO Case Notes entry:

• the insurance code

• the name of the primary insured person and their place of employment if available

• the date the insurance began

• If the worker verifies insurance has ended, the date it ended should be annotated and how verified

109-9 I     DOCUMENTING CASE CORRECTIONS FOR QA Quality Assurance ERRORS

Clear, concise documentation is required for every case correction made as a result of a QA Quality Assurance error finding. Staff in the Program Integrity and Analysis Unit checks EIS Eligibility Information System to ensure the case corrections are completed. When documenting case corrections for QA Quality Assurance errors you must:
 

1. •     Use standardized CANO Case Notes title to assist Program Integrity &Analysis in easily finding the case information, e.g., Case Corrections for QA Quality Assurance Review # ______.

   • Include a brief description of the error finding, the amount and months of the overpayment or underpayment, and an explanation of how it was calculated.  
      

The same documentation guidelines apply when submitting a fraud referral as a result of a QA Quality Assurance error and when closing a case after the household fails to cooperate with the QA Quality Assurance review.