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615 Chapter 3:Processes and procedures • Section 1: Acting on reported changes (07/2026) Required notices A decision notice is a written notice sent to the benefit group describing the action taken on an application or the benefits. A decision notice must be sent when approval, denial, reduction, suspension or closure of benefits (including retroactive medical) have been determined and when a request for benefits has been withdrawn. Decision notices are also often required when ODHS|OHA is taking action on an application or has received a request for benefits on an ongoing change, e.g., when ODHS|OHA needs to request more information or pend. The action taken on a case will determine what type of notice must be sent to the individual. ODHS|OHA may take any of the following actions: • Amend a decision notice with another decision notice or a contested case notice • Amend a contested case notice • Delay a reduction or closure of benefits as a result of an individual’s request for hearing, or • Extend the effective date on a decision notice or contested case notice. When ODHS|OHA amends a decision notice with another decision notice, the date of the amended notice restarts the individual’s deadlines to request a hearing or continuing benefits, or both. When a contested case notice extends an effective date or delays a reduction or closure, the date of the amended notice restarts the individual’s timeline to request continuing benefits. When an individual has a pending hearing request or is receiving continuing benefits, and ODHS|OHA amends a notice under this section, the individual does not need to re-file the hearing request or renew the request for continuing benefits. Notices must contain certain information. Standard, preprinted information consists of the hearing rights and procedures around hearings. The part that is not standard consists of the action ODHS|OHA intends to take, the effective date of that action, the reason for the action and the date of the notice. The notice can be computer- generated or completed by ODHS|OHA staff and sent manually. There are three types of decision notices that can be given to individuals. They are: • Basic decision notice. This notice is mailed no later than the planned date of action on the case and does not give the individual the right to continuation of benefits pending a hearing. The notice period is the month in which the notice is mailed. • Continuing benefit decision notice. This notice is mailed in time to be received by the date benefits are, or would be, received. It gives information on the benefit group’s right to continuing benefits. The notice period is the budget month from which information is used to initiate the decision notice. • Timely continuing benefit decision notice. This notice contains information on the benefit group’s right to continuing benefits. The notice period is the month in which the timely mailing requirement ends.
For actions that take effect on the first day of the following month, this notice must be mailed no later than the first business day following the 15th day of the month before the effective date of the action.
For actions that take effect no earlier than the last day of the current month, this notice must be mailed no later than the first business day following 15th day of the current month.
Timely notices mailed after the first business day following the 15th and the last day of the current month