STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health and Social Services
Division of Public Assistance
TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: MC #54
MANUAL: Alaska Temporary Assistance Program
DATE: December 1, 2016
This year Social Security announced a 0.3% COLA increase effective January 1, 2017. We have updated the Alaska Temporary Assistance income eligibility and shelter allowance standards to reflect the annual COLA adjustments in Social Security benefits. The new standards are effective beginning with the benefit month of January 2017. The Eligibility Information System will automatically apply these new standards when determining eligibility and benefit amounts beginning January 2017. Clarification has been added regarding the eligibility of half-siblings to align with the Alaska Administrative Code. A link to the new MAGI Medicaid manual has been added in the Transitional Medicaid section. ABLE account information has been clarified and aligns with the other Public Assistance programs. The city name of Barrow has been updated to its new official name, Utqiagvik.
Highlights of these policy revisions are described below. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy and Program Development Team at dpapolicy@alaska.gov.
OVERVIEW OF CHANGES
MS 711-2 Mandatory Filing Unit
MS 711-4 Who May Not Be Included in the Assistance Unit
MS 719-2 Employability Assessment
MS 740-3 B Transitional Medicaid
MS 753-6 Other Exclusions
MS 770-4 Diversion
MS 780-1 G Ratable Reduction
MS 780-3 Calculating the Payment Amount
MS 780-19 H Verification of Shelter Costs
Addendum 2 Temporary Assistance Income and Payment Standards
Addendum 3 Criteria for AK Native Village Time Limit Exemption