GN PHI00504.200 Payment of Benefits Pending Investigation - State of Maryland Onsite Review Facilities

The onsite review facilities of Maryland's Department of Health and Human Hygiene (DHMH) used Form DHMH 636 to notify SSA of changes in the status of beneficiaries for whom DHMH's Secretary is representative payee. The facilities sent any completed forms to their servicing field offices. Based upon discussions between SSA and DHMH's Division of Reimbursement, the Division, instead of the facilities, will now complete the forms. It will submit them to the Baltimore (Mondawmin), Maryland, field office, which, in turn, will route the forms to the field offices servicing the former custodian. The servicing field offices will take action as indicated below. The Baltimore (Mondawmin) field office will query the MBR/SSID to determine the servicing field office. A facsimile of Form DHMH 636 is illustrated in Exhibit I.

The reason for this change is that the onsite review facilities oftentimes did not report changes (especially custodial ones) to SSA. They always report these changes to the Division of Reimbursements. It was decided, therefore, that the Division would be a more suitable reporter.

A. COMPLETION OF FORM DHMH 636

Item 1.

If the beneficiary is transferred to another State onsite review facility, the Division of Reimbursements will furnish the name of the new facility and the date of the transfer. The field office should update the Representative Payee System (RPS) to reflect the custody change. This is not a payee change as DHMH's Secretary remains payee.

Item 2.

If the beneficiary has been released on foster care or convalescent leave, the Division of Reimbursements will complete Part A of this item and furnish the name and address of the new custodian. The field office should contact the prior custodian to determine if the release or leave is permanent or temporary. If permanent, the field office should develop for a new payee. If temporary, the field office should develop to determine the expected length of the custody change and decide if the current payee should continue receiving benefits or a new payee should be appointed. RPS should be updated to reflect the new address, unless the beneficiary is expected to return to the onsite review facility within 30 days.

The Division of Reimbursements will complete Part B when a beneficiary on temporary leave/release returns to the onsite review facility. If DHMH's Secretary remained payee during the term of the leave/release, the field office should check RPS to determine if it reflects the beneficiary's proper residence address. If DHMH's Secretary did not remain payee, determine if a payee change is in order. If one is, appoint a payee and ensure that RPS is updated. If one isn't, check RPS to determine if it reflects the proper address.

Item 3.

The Division of Reimbursements will complete this item whenever a beneficiary is discharged from an onsite review facility. The field office should develop for a new payee according to existing procedure.

Item 4.

The Division of Reimbursements will show the date of death of the beneficiary. The field office should process the death report.

NOTE: Reports from the Division of Reimbursements on Form DHMH 636 are first-party reports and do not need to be verified with the facility which had physical custody of the beneficiary. The Division of Reimbursements and onsite review facilities are components of Maryland's DHMH and are accountable to its Secretary.

B. EXHIBIT I: FORM DHMH 636

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To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200504200PHI
GN PHI00504.200 - Payment of Benefits Pending Investigation - State of Maryland Onsite Review Facilities - 10/15/2001
Batch run: 07/25/2014
Rev:10/15/2001