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made by the hearings officer on the basis of the facts brought out in the hearing, and that the

claimant will be notified by letter giving the decision and the reasons as to why the decision was reached. The hearings officer will make a general statement as to the eligibility requirements. He will define the issue involved in such a way that the individual will understand. The individual shall be given an opportunity to make a full statement concerning his claim and shall be given assistance in bringing out all information on which he bases his claim. All persons representing the claimant and those representing the county department shall have opportunity to state all facts pertinent to the points at issue and to make corrections or modifications in statements made by themselves or others testifying. The claimant shall have the privilege of examining written evidence, of questioning or refuting oral and written testimony, of examining witnesses, and of otherwise developing facts relevant to the issue or issues at hand, under the active leadership of the hearings officer. CHANGES DURING THE HEARING PROCESS If changes occur during the pendency of an appeal which results in further reduction of benefits or ineligibility, the household or its representative will be given the opportunity to request a hearing on the new issue and such a request will be treated as a new hearing. Review by Medical Appeals Team If the issue for a hearing is one of incapacity of a TANF parent, after the hearing has been held, the Administrative Hearings Office will forward the social and medical information with a copy of the transcript to the Medical Appeals Team. The process will be: 1. The Medical Appeals Team will review the evidence and make a decision on medical eligibility. This decision will be sent to the Administrative Hearings Office. 2. If the Medical Appeals Team finds that additional information is needed, they will direct the county department as to the proper steps to take and will again review the findings when the new reports are received. Summary and Recommendation The hearings officer shall have the responsibility of preparing a statement summarizing the facts brought out in the hearing as recorded in the transcript, indicating the policy governing the issue at hand, and making a recommendation based on these findings. MISSISSIPPI [ HEARING PROCESS: STATE HEARING ]

Revised 03 - 01 - 12