Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: The department is amending WAC 388-418-0005 to reflect reporting requirements for Basic Food categorically eligible households when their income exceeds two hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines. These amendments are necessary to maintain payment accuracy, improve program integrity, and reduce the risk of federal sanctions under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-418-0005.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.010.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 10-23-107 on November 17, 2010.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: January 3, 2011.

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator

     (1) If you receive assistance from any of the programs listed in subsection (((a) through (e) of this section)) (1), you must report changes for people in your assistance unit under chapter 388-408 WAC, based on the first program you receive benefits from.

     (a) If you receive long term care benefits such as a home and community based waiver (Basic, Basic Plus, CORE, Community Protection, COPES, New Freedom, Medically Needy), care in a medical institution (nursing home, hospice care center, state veterans home, ICF/MR, RHC) or hospice, you must tell us if you have a change of:

     (i) Residence;

     (ii) Marital status;

     (iii) Living arrangement;

     (iv) Income;

     (v) Resources;

     (vi) Medical expenses; and

     (vii) If we allow you expenses for your spouse or dependents, you must report changes in their income or shelter cost.

     (b) If you receive medical benefits based on age, blindness, ((or)) disability (SSI-related medical), or ADATSA benefits, you need to tell us if:

     (i) You move;

     (ii) A family member moves into or out of your home;

     (iii) Your resources change; or

     (iv) Your income changes. This includes the income of you, your spouse or your child living with you.

     (c) If you receive cash benefits, ((other than WorkFirst career services benefits,)) you need to tell us if:

     (i) You move;

     (ii) Someone moves out of your home;

     (iii) Your total gross monthly income goes over the:

     (A) Payment standard under WAC 388-478-0030 if you receive general assistance; or

     (B) Earned income limit under WAC 388-478-0035 and 388-450-0165 for all other programs;

     (iv) You have liquid resources more than four thousand dollars; or

     (v) You have a change in employment. Tell us if you:

     (A) Get a job or change employers;

     (B) Change from part-time to full-time or full-time to part-time;

     (C) Have a change in your hourly wage rate or salary; or

     (D) Stop working.

     (d) If you are a relative or nonrelative caregiver and receive cash benefits on behalf of a child in your care but not for yourself or other adults in your household, you need to tell us if:

     (i) You move;

     (ii) The child you are caring for moves out of the home;

     (iii) The child's parent moves into your home;

     (iv) The child's earned or unearned income changes (see WAC 388-450-0070 for how we count the earned income of a child);

     (v) The child has liquid resources more than four thousand dollars.

     (e) If you receive family medical benefits, you need to tell us if:

     (i) You move;

     (ii) A family member moves out of your home; or

     (iii) If your income goes up or down by one hundred dollars or more a month and you expect this income change will continue for at least two months.

     (2) If you do not receive assistance from any of the programs listed in subsection (((a) through (e) of this section)) (1), but you do receive benefits from any of the programs listed in ((subsections (f) through (i) of this section)) subsection (2), you must report changes for the people in your assistance unit under chapter 388-408 WAC, based on all the benefits you receive.

     (((f))) (a) If you receive Basic Food benefits, you need to tell us if:

     (i) If your household is a categorically eligible household as defined under WAC 388-414-0001, tell us if your total gross monthly income is more than ((the gross monthly income limit under WAC 388-478-0060)) two hundred percent of the federal poverty level; or

     (ii) For all other households tell us if your total monthly income is more than the maximum gross monthly income as described in WAC 388-478-0060; or

     (iii) Anyone who receives food benefits in your assistance unit must meet work requirements under WAC 388-444-0030 and their hours at work go below twenty hours per week.

     (((g))) (b) If you receive children's medical benefits, you need to tell us if:

     (i) You move; or

     (ii) A family member moves out of the house.

     (((h))) (c) If you receive pregnancy medical benefits, you need to tell us if:

     (i) You move; or

     (ii) You are no longer pregnant.

     (((i))) (d) If you receive other medical benefits, you need to tell us if:

     (i) You move; or

     (ii) A family member moves out of the home.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 74.08A.010. 10-07-007, § 388-418-0005, filed 3/4/10, effective 4/4/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, and 2007 c 522. 07-20-042, § 388-418-0005, filed 9/26/07, effective 10/27/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 74.08A.010. 05-19-060, § 388-418-0005, filed 9/16/05, effective 11/1/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, 44.04.280. 05-09-021, § 388-418-0005, filed 4/12/05, effective 6/1/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, and 2004 c 54. 04-21-026, § 388-418-0005, filed 10/13/04, effective 11/13/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510. 04-06-026, § 388-418-0005, filed 2/23/04, effective 3/25/04; 03-21-028, § 388-418-0005, filed 10/7/03, effective 11/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.510. 01-11-109, § 388-418-0005, filed 5/21/01, effective 7/1/01; 99-23-034, § 388-418-0005, filed 11/10/99, effective 1/1/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-418-0005, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

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