Upstate & Downstate    
DSS-4357EL                                                                 
WGIUPD                  GENERAL INFORMATION SYSTEM               07/30/01  
                   DIVISION:  Temporary Assistance               PAGE    
GIS 01 TA/DC026                                                            
 
TO:  Commissioners; IM Directors; IAR Units                                

FROM:  Patricia A. Stevens, Deputy Commissioner                            
       Division of Temporary Assistance                                    
SUBJECT:  Interim Assistance Recovery and                                  
             Misdirected Retroactive SSA Benefits                          
                                                                           
EFFECTIVE DATE:  Immediately                                               
CONTACT PERSON:  TA Team Rep at 1-800-343-8859;  Central Team (TA)         
                 4-9344; Eastern Team (FS) 3-1469;  Western Team (HEAP/    
                 SSI/IAR) 3-0332;  or Metro Team (212) 383-1655            

The Social Security Administration (SSA) made an error in calculating the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for January 1999.  To remedy this error, most SSI and RSDI (regular Social Security) beneficiaries will be receiving retroactive SSI and/or RSDI payments during July 2001 and benefit increases effective August 2001.  The SSA web site, "www.ssa.gov", provides more information about SSA corrective actions.

01 TA/DC025 informed districts of the impact of SSA actions on temporary assistance programs.  01 TA/DC021 informed districts of the impact of SSA actions on the food stamp program.

SSA has informed us that a few retroactive COLA checks may be sent to the interim assistance reimbursement (IAR) unit in a local district in error.  These payments, typically for $19 or less, should NOT be considered reimbursement for interim assistance.  Rather, the local district must return these payments to SSA.

We expect that the number of these misdirected federal checks will be very small so that the impact on local operations will be minimal.