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Chapter: 1400 Technical Requirements Program: MSSI, SFP 39 The eligibility specialist must request that SFU members whose income and/or assets are included in the budget, but who are not members of the assistance group, provide their SSN for purposes of data exchange. These individuals are not required to comply with this request. The agency must not deny or delay services to an otherwise eligible individual pending issuance or verification of the individual’s SSN by SSA.

Refer to the FLORIDA Desk Guide for procedures for routing the SS-5. 1440.0204 When SSN is not Provided/Refusal to Apply (MSSI, SFP) If an individual fails to provide or apply for an SSN on his own behalf or on the behalf of the individual's child(ren), the needs of that individual or child, whichever is applicable, must be excluded from the assistance group.

If a child resides in a facility or with a nonrelative and the child's parent, caretaker relative, or designated official of the facility fails to apply for an SSN for that child, the child is ineligible. 1440.0205 Suspected and Confirmed Multiple SSNs (MSSI, SFP) Suspected multiple SSNs exist when the eligibility specialist has reason to believe that an individual has more than one SSN.

Confirmed multiple SSNs exist when an individual presents different Social Security cards with the same or similar names and different numbers.

One of the following actions must be taken if either of these situations arises:

1. the individual must be asked to clarify the problem with the SSA office, or 2. the eligibility specialist must copy the SS cards, complete an SS-5 for each SSN and send the forms to the SSA office. 1440.0206 SSN Application Follow-Up (MSSI, SFP) The eligibility specialist must request an SSN at each future contact, once the application for an SSN has been made.

After 90 days, if an individual who has applied for an SSN has not received an SSN, the eligibility specialist must determine if another SS-5 should be submitted. 1440.0207 SSNs Not Validated Through Data Exchange (MSSI, SFP) If validation does not occur through data exchange, the eligibility specialist must obtain verification of the individual's SSN to ensure the correct number is being submitted for verification. The following documentation is acceptable:

1. SS card; 2. correspondence from SSA containing the individual's name and account number (if the number has an A, J, M or T suffix, this is the SSN); 3. a Social Security check issued on the individual's own account number; 4. a Medicare card issued on the individual's own account number (if there is an A, J, M or T suffix, this is the SSN); or 5. an SSA certificate of award which will contain a claim number (if there is an A, J, M or T suffix, this is the SSN).

The eligibility specialist must establish that coverage is provided under the individual's own account number and not as a beneficiary under another's account number.