This is the first of a series of annual reports which will assess the administrative error associated with school food authorities’ approval of applications for free and reduced-price school meals. More than 95 percent of students who were approved for benefits on the basis of an application were receiving correct benefits, based on the information in the application files. In school year 2004/05, 3.5 percent of all students who submitted an application for free/reduced-price meal benefits had an administrative error in the processing of their applications.
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance on the vendor-related WIC provision reflected in PL 109-97, which provides WIC funding for FY 2006.
This is in reply to your July 21, 2005, memorandum with the above subject in which you ask for clarifications relating to the provision of the regulations at 7 CFR 273.1(b)(7)(vi). This provision provides, in part, that individuals must be considered residents of an institution when the institution provides them with the majority of their meals (over 50 percent of three meals daily) as part of the institution’s normal services.
This memorandum transmits Attachment 2, a set of questions and answers on the serious deficiency process for institutions and family day care homes. The attachment provides answers to questions on the determination of serious deficiency, corrective action, responsible principals and individuals, appeals, and the National Disqualified List.
This memorandum provides guidance to state administrators in making household eligibility determinations in all nutrition assistance programs administered by FNS.
Attached are 18 Questions and Answers about the drug expenses of Food Stamp clients who also receive Medicare. The Questions and Answers concern the phasing out of the Drug Discount Card, Medicare’s implementation of the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program, and Food Stamp Quality Control. We have developed this guidance in consultation with our federal partners.
FNS is soliciting proposals for the second round of funding (FY 2006) from state agencies that have identified local educational agencies which have demonstrated a high level of, or a high risk for, administrative error.
Memo regarding confusion about the proper way to handle a situation involving a Food Stamp Program participant who receives an increase in benefits after reporting an increase in a deductible expense but subsequently fails to verify that increase in deductible expense.
Using Food Stamp Quality Control data from fiscal year 2000, this analysis suggests that the simplified reporting policies adopted by states in 2004 could have lowered error rates by 1.2 to 1.5 percentage points.
This memo is in response to requests for us to clarify what takes place when a confirmation review finds an error in the eligibility determination after a household has been initially notified of its status.