During an RZ, if the rep payee is not a relative and does not reside in the same household
as the recipient, development of payee suitability is usually required.
A face-to-face interview is usually required with the recipient and the rep payee.
However, separate face-to-face interviews may be appropriate when the SSI recipient
and the rep payee live in different geographic areas. Even though a second FO's assistance
may be required, face-to-face interviews are especially important in these cases.
NOTE: Residence in different geographic areas may indicate a need for change of payee.
The face-to-face interview requirement may be waived when the interview would be clearly
unproductive.
EXAMPLE: The recipient is comatose, or the interview would impose undue personal hardship on
either the recipient or payee (due to hospitalization, work, travel a great distance
to interview, etc.).
Other methods including telephone interviews with the party unable to come in, third
party verification, etc., may be used to determine the payee's continued suitability.