STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Assistance

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER:   MC #54

MANUAL:  Adult Public Assistance

DATE: December 3, 2018

This year Social Security announced a Cost of Living Allowance (COLACost of Living Allowance) increase effective January 2019.  The Adult Public Assistance need and maximum payment standards are adjusted by the same percentage as the COLACost of Living Allowance increase in Social Security benefits.  This year the COLACost of Living Allowance increase is 2.8%.  We have incorporated the 2019 standards into the examples and Addendum 1.  These standards become effective with the benefit month of January 2019.  The COLACost of Living Allowance adjustment also causes:

• An increase in the income limit for Substantial Gainful Activity; and
• An increase in the student earned income exclusion.

We also made several changes to incorporate new policy, clarify existing policy, and align policies within our program policy manuals. Other changes are either technical in nature or clarifications that are the result of policy questions or suggestions from the field.  

Highlights of these policy revision are described below.  If you have any questions, contact the Policy and Program Development Team at dpapolicy@alaska.gov.

423-4       VERIFICATION OF RESIDENCY

• Added a list of interfaces that can be used to verify residency, unless questionable

426-2F     CONTACTING THE MEDICAL REVIEWER

• Updated section to new process of scanning documents to the Z:drive

433-1      TRANSFER OF RESOURCES

• Updated all examples within the chapter to reflect the new 2019 standards

433-2A    ELIGIBILITY FOR CONDITIONAL BENEFITS

• Updated the SSISupplemental Security Income payment standard to the new 2019 amount in order to accurately calculate if an applicant is eligible for conditional benefits

442-3F    FOSTER CARE PAYMENTS

• Clarified that adoption payments are treated the same as foster care payments

452-1       PAYMENT CALCULATIONS

• Updated all examples within the chapter to reflect the new 2019 standards

452-2       BUDGETING EXCEPTIONS FOR SSISupplemental Security Income CASES

• Updated all examples within the chapter to reflect the new 2019 standards

452-5       COMPUTATION OF BENEFITS

• Updated all examples within the chapter to reflect the new 2019 standards

460-5       INCOME ALLOCATIONS

• Updated all examples within the chapter to reflect the new 2019 standards

Addendum 1      PROGRAM STANDARDS

• Updated the program standards based on the 2019 COLACost of Living Allowance change