Adding a TANF Benefit Adjustment

In instances where an underpayment of benefits has been issued, a Benefit Adjustment can be added in the VaCMS. Adding a Benefit Adjustment for a case in the VaCMS is accessed from the Benefit Issuance module, located in the Left Navigation menu.

To add a new Benefit Adjustment for a TANF case complete the following steps.

1. From the Left Navigation, select Benefit Issuance, then click Benefit Adjustment.

2. The Benefit Adjustment Search page displays.

1. To create a new Benefit Adjustment, a search must be performed before any new adjustment can be added.

3. Enter the appropriate value in the Case # or EDG # field and click Submit.
1. If a Benefit Adjustment has already been created for the case, it will display under the search results section.
4. The Add button becomes enabled. Click Add to create the new Benefit Adjustment.

5. The Benefit Adjustment Details page displays. The Case #, EDG #, and Program fields are populated automatically with the case information.
6. Select TANF or TANF UP from the Benefit Type dropdown menu.
7. Under the Issuance Details section, select the applicable value from the Issuance Type and Issuance Reason dropdown menu.
1. There are four options to select from the Issuance Type dropdown menu:
1. Replacement – This value is not applicable to TANF, VaCMS displays an error if the worker attempts to proceed.
2. Restoration – This value is not applicable to TANF, VaCMS displays an error if the worker attempts to proceed.
3. Supplement – This issuance type is only applicable if the adjustment is for the current month. If Supplement is selected for a prior month, the system will display the following error, ‘Eligibility must be authorized (denied or approved) for the current month prior to issuing a supplement,’ if the worker attempts to proceed. The Issuance Reason must be one of the following selections: Over Offset, Over Collection, Fair Hearing, FIPS Change, Assistance Unit/Household Size Change, Income Change
4. Underpayment Correction – This value can be selected to establish an adjustment for any correction in misallotment of benefits and is not restricted to the current month. The Issuance Reason must be one of the following selections: Over Offset, Over Collection, Fair Hearing, FIPS Change, Assistance Unit/Household Size Change, Income Change, Special Issuance.

Note: When benefits have not yet been issued from VaCMS for a case or the benefits are for denied, closed, or suspended months, the Underpayment Correction Issuance Type and Special Issuance Issuance Reason are the only values that will not result in an error.

8. Enter the Benefit Start Date for the applicable adjustment period. When the Benefit Start Date is entered, the Benefit End Date automatically populates the end date of the corresponding period. If the Benefit Start Date is not the first of the month, then the adjusted benefit amount will be prorated.
9. In the Comments textbox, enter any supporting justification or comments regarding the benefit adjustment. Details must be provided to support the benefit adjustment.

1. For example, if the benefit adjustment is for a case that has denied, closed, or suspended months, then details can be provided in the Comments.

10. Select a value from the Issuance Method dropdown menu.
11. Complete the relevant fields from the Restoration / Underpayment Correction / Supplement section.
12. Click Save + Continue.

Note: If benefits were issued in a different locality for the adjustment month than the locality completing the adjustment, a system error displays and the worker is unable to proceed.

13. The TANF Benefit Adjustment Calculation page displays.

14. In the Benefit Information section the Case Number and Benefit End Date fields are populated automatically.
15. In the Assistance Unit section, the customers known to the case can be included in or removed from the calculation.

Note: Add the client to the case prior to completing the benefit adjustment.

16. To update the assistance unit, complete the following steps.
1. Select the customer from the Client dropdown menu or click the pencil icon populated in the row with the customer’s name.  
2. Enter / Update the Date Entered Home.
3. Enter / Update the Date Reported.
4. Enter the Date Last Verification Received.
5. Select Yes or No from the Include In Benefit Adjustment Calculation dropdown menu.
6. Click Add / Update to add the customer to the list of Household Members.  

17. The Recalculation section is sub-divided into two sections.
1. The left side of the page displays Authorized results based on the case data used to calculate the authorized benefit amount.
• If the authorized amount is not known to VaCMS, the Benefit Amount field in the Authorized column will be enabled and mandatory.

• If a value in the Authorized column is not known to VaCMS, it will be blank.

2. The right side of the page displays Adjustments, which initially contain zeroes for all values.
18. To calculate the Benefit Adjustment, enter the appropriate values into the Adjusted section on the right side of the page.
19. To complete the Special Issuance section, follow these steps:
1. Select the Issue Entire Calculated Benefit Amount checkbox.
2. Select an option from the Special Issuance Reason dropdown menu.
3. If Other is selected as a Special Issuance Reason then the Comment box is enabled and comments must be entered.

Note: To issue the entire calculated amount, the following conditions must be met:

1. Issuance Type is Underpayment Correction and Issuance Reason is Special Issuance.
2. The Issue Entire Calculated Benefit Amount checkbox is checked and one of the following Special Issuance Reasons are selected:
1. Stop payment
2. Denied Month
3. Suspended Month
4. Other

20. Click Calculate.
1. The Underpayment Amount is calculated automatically and displayed at the bottom of the page.

21. If the Underpayment Amount is correct, click Save + Continue.

Note: The left hand side of the page will be prefilled with 0s for denied, closed, or suspended months and months prior to the application date. For Special Issuances, upon selecting all of the customers from the Client dropdown menu, including or removing customers from the calculation, and clicking Add / Update, the Assistance Unit Size field in the Recalculation section will remain populated with 0. Only after the Calculate button is clicked or after the Issue Entire Calculated Benefit Amount checkbox is checked will the Assistance Unit Size field in the Recalculation section adjust and populate the correct household unit size.

22. The Benefit Adjustment Wrap Up page displays.

23. If the Benefit Adjustment result is correct, click Submit.
1. Benefit Adjustments can only be Approved by a supervisor. If the worker performing the Benefit Adjustment does not have a supervisor profile, the adjustment must be submitted with a BA Request Status of Pending Supervisor Approval.

Note: After a Benefit Adjustment has been Approved, it will be included in the next benefit batch and will no longer display on the Benefit Adjustment Search results. To verify that benefits have been issued correctly, check the Benefit Details for the case after the next benefit batch.

Note: Use the Benefit Adjustment Search page to determine whether an adjustment has been approved or not.

1. From the Left Navigation, select Benefit Issuance, then click Benefit Adjustment.
2. The Benefit Adjustment Search page displays.
3. Enter the appropriate value in the Case # or EDG # field and click Submit.
4. If a Benefit Adjustment has already been created for the case, it will display under the search results section.
5. Review the BA Request Status in the search results. A BA Request Status of Approved indicates the Benefit Adjustment will be included in the next benefit batch. Any other BA Request Status means further action or approval is required.

Updated: 06/17/2017