Benefit Error Group (BEG)

Revised December 13, 2011

What is a Benefit Error Group (BEG)?

How are overpayment/underpayment BEGs created?

How does ACES determine overpayment and underpayment amounts?

How do I manually create an overpayment or underpayment?

How does ACES group benefit error months into BEGs?

How do I confirm an overpayment?

How do I confirm an underpayment?

How do I modify an overpayment?

How do I ignore an invalid overpayment or underpayment?

What is a Benefit Error Group (BEG)?

·         A Benefit Error Group (BEG) is either an underpayment or overpayment in cash or food benefits that has been created for a case based on a client’s eligibility. BEGs are grouped by program, error reason, and liable household members. 

·         See EAZ Manual – WACs 388-410-0001 through 388-410-0040 for more information about overpayments.

·         See EAZ Manual – WAC 388-410-0040 Cash and food assistance underpayments for more information about underpayments.

How are overpayment/underpayment BEGs created?

·         A BEG can be created in one of the following ways: 

o        ACES calculates a change in batch that increases or decreases the benefit amount for a historical month(s). The user must confirm or ignore the benefit calculation.

o        A user calculates a change in benefit amount from the AMEN Option R – Interim / Hist Change. ACES compares the previously calculated amount to the newly calculated amount and displays the difference on the CAFI or FSFI screen.  The previous calculated amount in ACES is not always the amount the client received. 

¨        To view the actual benefits issued to a client, press <F19> on the MISC, CAFI or FSFI screen.  This takes you to JMEN.  Enter [D-Benefit History Listing] in the Selection field. 

o        A user manually creates an overpayment or underpayment BEG. A manually created BEG should be done as a last resort. Whenever possible use benefit eligibility to calculate the amount of the benefit error.

How does ACES determine overpayment and underpayment amounts?

·         When a historical change results in a new benefit amount, ACES compares the previously calculated amount to the new calculation. The result is either an overpayment or an underpayment. 

·         If, based on policy, no overpayment or underpayment exists, enter valid value [IG] - Ignore in the OP/UP Reas field and document why the BEG is ignored.

·         In situations where there is a recoupment, ACES uses the original benefit amount to calculate the BEG. 

How do I manually create an overpayment or underpayment?

·         To manually create an overpayment or underpayment, take the following steps:

1.      On the WMEN screen, select Option N – Benefit Error.

2.      On the NMEN screen:

o        Enter Option C – Create a Benefit Error Group in the Selection field.

o        Enter the [assistance unit ID] in the AU / Vendor ID field.

3.      On the BEMG screen:

o        Enter the [month] in the Issue Month field.

o        Enter the [appropriate code] in the OP/UP field.  See <F1> Help.

o        Enter the [amount] in the Amount field.

o        Enter the [appropriate code] in the Reas field.

o        Enter [Y] – Yes in the MORE field if the BEG has more than five months. 

4.      If the BEG is an overpayment, follow the procedure in How do I confirm an overpayment? 

5.      If the BEG is an underpayment, follow the procedure in How do I confirm an underpayment?

How does ACES group benefit error months into BEGs? 

·         Benefit error calculations done on the same day with the same type and reason code are grouped into a single BEG.

·         In order to meet Office of Financial Recovery's (OFR) requirements, benefit error calculations done on the same day, but with different reason codes or liable household members, must be grouped into separate BEGs.

·         Correctly grouping error months into BEGs ensures that the correct letters are sent and that OFR receives the correct number of files based on the liable household members.

·         For more information, see EAZ Manual – WAC 388-410-0005 Cash and medical assistance overpayment amount and liability and EAZ Manual – WAC 388-410-0025 Food assistance overpayment liability.

·         The computation portion of the overpayment letter can accommodate 36 months per letter.

·         If an overpayment is for more than 36 months make the changes so that the overpayment is grouped into two (2) separate BEGs.

How do I confirm an overpayment?

·         To confirm an overpayment, take the following steps:

1.      On the Welcome Back page, use the Quick Navigation section to do the following:

o        From the Select a Type of ID drop down box, click Assistance Unit.

o        Enter the [AU number] for which you created the overpayment in the Enter an ID box.

o        From the Select a Page drop down box, click Letters.

o        Click the Go button.

2.      On the Assistance Unit >> Letter Summary page, click the Create Letter button. 

3.      On the Create Letter Selected Assistance Unit page, select Letter Category Overpayment and the Create Overpayment Letter Selected Assistance Unit page displays with a list of all the BEGs at RP – Ready to Process status. 

4.      Click the button next to the appropriate BEG.

5.      Leave the checkbox next to Review Liability blank.     

o        A list of all household members is brought up.  If a pre-selected member is determined not liable for the overpayment, remove the check in the box to deselect the specific household member.

o        The user may also select up to 10 additional clients as liable by clicking on the blank box next to a client's name.

o        All clients identified as liable will be included in the Overpayment Letter and included on the file sent to OFR.

o        It may be necessary to review policy to ensure all persons selected are actually financially liable for the overpayment.  See EAZ Manual – WAC 388-410-0005 Benefit Errors and EAZ Manual – WAC 388-410-0025 Am I responsible for an overpayment in my assistance unit?

o        Review the case for other information that may need to be included in the letter such as claim determination from a hearing, the appropriate WAC code(s), or legal services telephone number. 

6.      Click the Next button at the bottom of the screen and the overpayment letter page displays.

o        If this is a system-created BEG, all information specific to months, amounts, liable household members, and overpayment computation is pre-filled.

o        The case information reflects information from the first overpayment month listed on the CAFI or FSFI screen.

o        ACES lists all AU members and pre-selects liable members based on the person's financial responsibility code by pre-filling the box next to the client's name.

o        It is imperative that the information be reviewed to ensure it is correct before the letter is confirmed.

7.      Click on either the Save for Mail or Local Print button. ACES automatically  changes the overpayment status to OP – Open. 

o        Once the overpayment is in OP – Open status, it can only be changed by doing a modification.

o        Letters that are centrally printed by clicking Save for Mail are automatically sent by Certified Mail. 

How do I confirm an underpayment?  

·         To confirm an underpayment, take the following steps:

1.      On the WMEN screen, select Option N – Benefit Error.

2.      On the NMEN screen:

o        Enter Option [B] – Update a Benefit Error Group in the Selection field.

o        Enter [the assistance unit ID] in the AU / Vendor ID field.

3.      On the BEGS screen, enter [Y] – Yes in the Sel field for the appropriate BEG that is in RP - Ready to Process status.

4.      On the BEMG screen, verify the BEG details are correct.

o        The benefit error amount is detailed by month and the total BEG amount displays in the BEG OP/UP Amount field.

5.      If the amount and type of underpayment is correct enter [Y] – Yes in the Confirm field. If the supplemental payment needs to be issued to a vendor press <F16> to go to the BEGV screen. See Vendor Payment. ACES automatically changes the underpayment status to OP – Open.

6.      Go to aceonline and on the Welcome Back page, use the Quick Navigation section to do the following:

o        From the Select a Type of ID drop down box, click Assistance Unit.

o        Enter the [AU number] for which you created the overpayment in the Enter an ID box.

o        From the Select a Page drop down box, click Letters.

o        Click the Go button.

7.      On the Assistance Unit >> Letter Summary page, click the Create Letter button. 

8.      On the Create Letter Selected Assistance Unit page, select Letter Category Supplement and Letter 017-01 (Supplemental Payment for Cash/Food) displays.

9.      Click Next and update the appropriate fields with details about why the underpayment is being made.  See Letters.

·         If this is a cash case, the supplemental payment will be deposited in the household's EBT / EFT account within one to five days from the date the payment is confirmed and authorized by the supervisor. See Issuances.

·         If this is a food assistance case, the supplemental payment will be deposited in the household's EBT account one to five days from the date the BEG is confirmed. See Issuances.

o        Supplemental food assistance issuances do not require supervisor authorization.

o        To issue the supplemental food assistance payment as an emergent issuance, enter valid value [E] – Emergent in the EBT FS ISSUANCE field.

o        If the supplemental food assistance payment is to be issued as a regular issuance, leave the UNDERPAYMENT PROCESSIND blank.

How do I modify an overpayment?

·         To modify an overpayment, take the following steps:

1.      Create an underpayment.  However it is very important that you DON'T APPROVE the underpayment BEG.

o        See How are overpayment/underpayment BEGs created?

2.      Go to aces.online and select the assistance unit number for which the underpayment was just created. 

3.      Click the Create Letter button. 

4.      On the Create Letter Selected Assistance Unit page, select Letter Category Overpayment and the Create Overpayment Letter Selected Assistance Unit page displays with a list of all the BEGS at RP – Ready to Process status. 

5.       Click the button next to the appropriate underpayment BEG.

6.      Click the checkbox next to Modification.

o        The system pre-fills with Letter 045-09 (Overpayment Modification).

7.      Complete all the necessary fields on the modification letter including the date of the original overpayment letter, stating whether this modification is an increase or decrease, the original overpayment amount and the current overpayment amount. You will also need to complete the computation portion of the modification letter, the WAC reference code and reason for the modification.

8.      Click on either the Save for Mail or Local Print button.  ACES automatically changes the overpayment status to MO – Modification to Open BEG. 

How do I ignore an invalid overpayment or underpayment?

·         To ignore an invalid overpayment or underpayment, take the following steps:

1.      On the WMEN screen, select Option N – Benefit Error.

2.      On the NMEN screen:

o        Enter Option B - Update a Benefit Error Group in the Selection field

o        Enter the [assistance unit ID] in the AU / Vendor ID field.

3.      On the BEGS screen, the BEG Status field defaults to RP – Ready to Process. This is the only field on the BEGS screen that worker can update.  All other fields on the screen are protected.

4.      If it is determined that the BEG is not valid, change the BEG Status valid value from RP – Ready to Process to IG – Ignored.

5.      Commit the data and Edit Message 0019 - UPDATE COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY displays at the bottom of the screen.

·         Once the status on the BEGS screen has been changed to IG – Ignore, it cannot be changed back.  

·         If later it is determined that this is a valid overpayment, the user must manually create the BEG. See How do I manually create an overpayment or underpayment?