STATE OF ALASKA

Department of Health

Division of Public Assistance 

TRANSMITTAL NUMBER:   2023-03

MANUAL:   Alaska Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

DATE:   December 1, 2023

This year the Social Security Administration announced a COLACost of Living Allowance increase effective January 2024, which increased the payee fee that can be excluded as unearned income.

Highlights of this and other policy revisions are described below. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy & Program Development team at hss.dpa.policy@alaska.gov.

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

MS 600-2           Definitions 

• Clarified work definition regarding ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents

MS 601-3(A)(2)       The Interview

• Added link to MS 604-3(C) for clarity that households that may have the recertification interview waived are households in which all adult members are elderly and/or disabled and have no earned income.

MS 601-5(D)       Denying the Application

• Clarified that we cannot deny a SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application when applicants verbally indicate they are over the income or resource limit during the interview

MS 602-1(B)       Residency

• Clarified households that leave the state for purposes of residing in another state will have their cases closed for not meeting the residency requirement

MS 602-1(E)       Social Security Numbers

• Removed reference to Addendum 12 as it is being removed so it's not available to the public

MS 602-1(F)(3)      ABAWD

• Updated ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents age from 18 through 49 to 18 through 52

MS 602-1(G)(5)       ABAWDs

• Updated ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents exemptions to include discretionary exemptions, and homeless individuals, veterans, and individuals aging out of foster care as required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.  
• Updated link to read SNAP MS 602-1G(2)

MS 602-1(L)(2) and (6)      Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents

• Revised note to align with the new ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents waiver time limit criteria beginning 11/01/2023 through 10/31/2024
• Added discretionary exemption policy that will be used during the current ABAWD waiver

MS 602-3(B)(2)       Unearned Income

• Updated payee fees to reflect COLACost of Living Allowance change

602-4(E)(7)       Shelter Costs

• Clarified verification of shelter costs must be verified if the information is more than 60 days old, even changes that have not changed by more than $25, to align with federal regulations

604-1      Certification Period

• Clarified households that are eligible for 24 month certification periods are households in which all adult household members are elderly or disabled and have no earned income

604-2(C)      Interim Report: Household Fails To Act Or Requested Verifications Is Not Received

• Revised to clarify the only time we close an individual with adequate notice is if the IRInterim Report  is not received
• Clarified when households submit the IR untimely, but prior to the last day of the month in which it is due

604-3      Recertification

• Clarified that a new review/recertification period cannot be established for SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Medicaid when processing applications or recertifications for other programs
• Fixed link from 604-2B to 604-3B. This was changed due to the new Interim Report section being added to the manual

604-3(C)      Recertification: Caseworker Actions

• Clarified households that may have the recertification interview waived are households in which all adult members are elderly and/or disabled and have no earned income, to align with the approved waiver language

604-3(E)      Verification Requirements: Recertification

• Clarified all income reported at recertification needs to be verified if the information is more than 60 days old, even changes that have not changed by more than $50, to align with federal regulations

605-7(A)(2)      PFD Interface

• Clarified caseworkers must check IEVSInstant Eligibility Verification System, not INMEInquiry Menu 9, when verifying PFDPermanent Fund Dividend eligibility

Addendum 2      

• Revised to align with the new ABAWDAble-bodied Adult Without Dependents waiver, effective 11/01/2023 - 10/31/2024 

Addendum 11     

• Clarified foster care income is exempt, dependent on nature of foster care payments, and household living circumstances

Addendum 12     

• Removed Addendum 12 so the information is not available to the public