There may be changes in SSI policy during the period of review that may affect a recipient's eligibility or payment amount, even though there were no changes in circumstance.

POMS transmittals introducing changes may have specific effective dates for field completed RZs.

Unless 2 above applies, the effective date of change depends on whether the change is advantageous or disadvantageous to recipients.

Whenever policy change results in higher payments or no payment changes to individuals, the policy change effective date will be the month the RZ is initiated or the effective date specified in the law or regulations.

Whenever payments will be reduced as a result of the policy change, the policy change is effective with the month after the month in which the first RZ is initiated after the policy effective date.

An RZ has been initiated when the adjudicator:

• •

  Documents recipient allegations on an RZ form or opens a MSSICS event and completes MSSICS screens during a personal contact interview;

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  Receives a signed mailer RZ; or

• •

  In the case of an abbreviated RZ as described in SI 02305.045, has information documented on a report of contact.

For the definition of initiation date, see SI 02305.034A.3 and SI 02305.034 A.4.

An RZ completed by the DOC or as a result of a payment quality review is not considered an initiated RZ for the purposes of policy changes.