West Virginia WIC Policy & Procedure 3.05 Effective Date: 04/09/13

3.05

eWIC Benefit Card Issuance

1 of 2 POLICY:

The Local Agency must account for the disposition of all food instruments as either issued or voided. Redeemed food instruments must be identified as validly issued, lost or stolen. In an EBT system, evidence of matching redeemed FI to valid enrollment and issuance records may be satisfied by linking the Primary Account Number associated with electronic transaction. The Local Agency will be subject to claims as outlined in 246.23(a)(4) for redeemed food instruments that do not meet the conditions established in 246.12.(q) of the Federal Regulations.

PROCEDURE:

A. Prior to eWIC Benefit Card Issuance

eWIC Benefit Cards will not be established prior to the WIC participant’s visit to the WIC clinic.

B. eWIC Benefit Card Issuance

1. One eWIC Benefit Card will be issued to a family for all WIC participants.

2. eWIC benefits may be issued for up to three (3) consecutive months at a time.

3. Each WIC food package will be aggregated to one sum total per food category.

4. eWIC benefits will be automatically prorated when the WIC participant is late picking up benefits.

C. Signing the Benefit Balance Receipt

The WIC personnel will instruct the payee or proxy to sign and date the first page of the Benefit Balance Receipt, and if multiple pages print, then instruct payee/proxy to initial and date the last page.

D. Error on the Benefit Balance Receipt

1. White-out and similar products should not be used on the Benefit Balance Receipt because of the possibility of concealment of factual information.

2. If an error occurs, WIC personnel will draw a single line through the error and initial.

E. Retention of Benefit Balance Receipts

1. Signed Benefit Balance Receipts will be filed by date and stored in a secure area.

2. Benefit Balance Receipts should be maintained for three (3) years and one-hundred fifty (150) days. This maintenance period will be calculated from the last day to spend as indicated on the receipt.

West Virginia WIC Policy & Procedure 3.05 Effective Date: 04/09/13

3.05

eWIC Benefit Card Issuance

2 of 2 F. Instruction for the WIC Payee/Proxy

1. The WIC payee/proxy will be instructed on the use of the eWIC Benefit Card. The payee/proxy will be given the “West Virginia eWIC Benefits Card” (WIC -64), pamphlet.

2. At the first issuance of the eWIC Benefit Card, the payee/proxy must establish a PIN code which activates the card prior to shopping for benefits.

3. Benefits will be loaded onto the card upon issuance and will expire at midnight on the last date to spend. Subsequent months will be loaded at midnight on the first date to spend.

4. A current Vendor List will be provided to new participants for their area.

REFERENCES:

1. WIC Regulations 246.12 (q), Food Instrument Disposition 2. “West Virginia eWIC Benefits Card” pamphlet (WIC-64)