49-065 INTERIM ASSISTANCE REIMBURSEMENT

HANDBOOK BEGINS HERE .1 The Social Security Administration provides interim assistance reimbursement by withholding all or part of a recipient’s retroactive SSI/SSP payment(s) to repay states or counties for any interim assistance paid while the SSI/SSP application was pending, or while the SSI/SSP benefits were suspended if the person is subsequently found to be eligible, if certain conditions are met. .11 The following definition of interim assistance is found in 20 CFR 416.1902: "Interim assistance means assistance the State gives you, including payments made on your behalf to providers of goods or services, to meet your basic needs, beginning with the day of the month you apply for SSI benefits and are eligible for them, and ending with, and including, the month your SSI benefit payments begin, or assistance the State gives you beginning with the day for which your eligibility for SSI benefits is reinstated after a period of suspension or termination and ending with, and including, the month the Commissioner makes the first payment of benefits following the suspension or termination if it is determined subsequently that you were eligible for benefits during that period. It does not include assistance the State gives to or for any other person. If the State has prepared and cannot stop delivery of its last assistance payment to you when it receives your SSI benefit payment from us, that assistance payment is included as interim assistance to be reimbursed. Interim assistance does not include assistance payments financed wholly or partly with Federal funds." HANDBOOK ENDS HERE Effective 7/1/08 .2 Counties must take all necessary steps to qualify any CAPI benefits paid for federal interim assistance reimbursement. These steps include: .21 Obtaining a signed authorization form from the applicant or recipient. .22 Forwarding the signed authorization form (or approved electronic authorization) to the Social Security Administration. .23 Crediting or refunding any federal interim assistance reimbursement received for CAPI payments to the state. .3 The state will provide its own interim assistance reimbursement to counties who provide interim assistance during the period of time that an individual’s initial application is pending, or during a period of CAPI payment suspension prior to reinstatement. The reimbursement period begins with the first month of CAPI eligibility, and ends with, and includes, the month that the individual’s CAPI payments begin. .31 Interim assistance, for purposes of state reimbursement, means any financial assistance the county provides to the CAPI applicant during the period beginning with the first month of CAPI eligibility, and ending with, and including, the month that the individual’s CAPI payments begin. .32 The interim assistance for state reimbursement does not include any payments financed wholly or partly with federal or state funds. .33 For a county to receive state interim assistance reimbursement, the county must do all of the following: .331 For applications filed on or after March 4, 1999, obtain a signed authorization form (SOC 455) from the applicant or recipient. .332 For applications filed prior to March 4, 1999, counties were required to obtain both: 1) the SSP 14 or replacement form authorizing SSA to reimburse from the individual’s SSI/SSP check to the county for GA expenditures made during the SSI/SSP eligibility period, and 2) the IAR part of CAPI form SOC 451 authorizing SSA to reimburse from the individual’s SSI/SSP check to the county, on behalf of the state, for CAPI expenditures made during the SSI/SSP eligibility period.) .333 Issue, or request issuance of, a net retroactive CAPI payment (after withholding the amount of the interim assistance owed to the county) directly to the recipient within 10 working days of the date CAPI eligibility and payment amount have been determined. Effective 10/16/03 .334 Not delay issuance of a CAPI check solely to obtain a signed authorization form. .335 Provide proper notification concerning the withholding of the interim assistance amount on the approval notice to the applicant or recipient. .336 Consortia of CAPI counties must notify the county requesting reimbursement as soon as CAPI eligibility or ineligibility is determined and obtain the amount of the interim assistance. NOTE: Authority cited: Sections 10553, 10554, and 18943, Welfare and Institutions Code. Reference: 20 CFR 416.1901; 20 CFR 416.1902; 20 CFR 416.1904, and Sections 18938 and 18940, Welfare and Institutions Code.