Author: Stephen Goldberg

EBT card replacement with chip/tap cards

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided information about the replacement of current magnetic stripe EBT cards with chip/tap cards.  The new cards will be for CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Assistance, Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP), Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA), Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).  County equipment will be replaced in May, 2024.  New cardstock will be delivered to counties in May, 2024

In Summer, 2024, new chip/tap cards will be mailed to anyone with an active case, that is anyone who has accessed benefits in the last nine months.  The new cards will be mailed in three phases.  The first phase will be combined CalWORKs and CalFresh cases, GA, RCA, TCVAP, CAPI and LIHEAP.  The second phase will be cash-only benefits cases.  The third phase will be CalFresh only cases.

The existing PIN will carry-over to the new chip/tap card.  Cardholders will need to enter the PIN for each transaction with the chip/tap card.

SunBucks and Women, Infants and Children benefits will not be moved to the new chip/tap cards.

Counties should tell cardholders to use their replacement cards as soon as they receive them.  A successful transaction with the new card will activate it.  Cardholders can also activate their new card using the EBT Edge application, or by contacting the EBT customer service center.  Cardholders will have approximately 45 days after they receive their new card before their old magnetic stripe card will be unusable.

CDSS will monitor activation data and do direct outreach to cardholders who receive their new card but do not activate it.

Counties should refer questions to the EBT customer service center.

Any remaining magnetic stripe cards will be deactivated approximately 60 days after mass replacement is completed.  Cardholders who do not receive a new card can ask for their chip/tap card through the EBT Customer Service or the county.

Some retailers may not have equipment to accept chip/tap cards.  In most of those cases, the EBT card will need fall back to a magnetic stripe or manual key-in transaction.

Cardholders who are unhoused can have their replacement cards mailed to the county welfare department.  County welfare departments will get a list of cardholders who use the county welfare department mailing address for triage.  (ACWDL, June 24, 2024.)

Extension of CalFresh waiver for alternate procedures for change of address reporting

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The California Department of Social Services has announced that the CalFresh waiver for alternate procedures for change of address reporting is extended effective July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026.

Under the waiver, if a county receives a verified change of address, but does not receive updated shelter cost information, the county will not change the household’s shelter cost.  The county must send a notice encouraging the household to report any changes in shelter costs.  The county must also ask about shelter cost at the household’s next recertification or periodic report.  If the county believes the change of address information is questionable or unclear, the county must respond to the information as required in 7 C.F.R. 273.12(c)(3).  (ACL 24-47, June 28, 2024.)

End of 25 day hold period for Appeals Council requests for review

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The Social Security Appeals Council previously waited 25 days to act on a request for review.  Social Security has changed its policy and will no longer hold requests for review for 25 days.  Claimants who want additional time to submit evidence or argument must now elect for that on the Form HA 520 Request for Review of Hearing Decision.

Claimants and representatives can still request extensions to submit additional evidence to the Appeals Council.  (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, April 13, 2023.)

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Continuing Disability Review reports are now available online

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Social Security periodically reviews the medical condition of all people receiving disability benefits.  The Continuing Disability Review report form and Authorization to Disclose Information to Social Security that recipients complete as part of the continuing disability review process can now be completed online using the recipient’s my Social Security account.  The report form will continue to be mailed to recipients.  The form can be returned by mail or completed online.  (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, February 28, 2023.)

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New languages for online Unemployment Insurance application

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The online application for Unemployment Insurance is now available in Armenian, Korean, and Tagalog.  These languages are in addition to English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese.  The application is available through the MyEDD online portal and UI Online.

Unemployment Insurance customers can now receive  updates about the status of their claim and payment notifications via email or text message in those eight languages.  (EDD News Release 24-12, March 28, 2024.)