Pending Void - Void/Cancel Benefits

Created on: 
Oct 09 2018

See ACES screens and online pages for an example of pages or screens used in this chapter.

 What is a pending void?

Pending void is an ACES function that allows users to cancel/void an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) issuance after monthly issuance, and at least one day prior to its availability date.

Benefits must be pending in the Fidelity Information Services (FIS) EBT Pending Benefits File and not already posted to a client’s EBT account.

NOTE: The pending void action can be taken only on an Assistance Unit (AU) with an issuance method of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). Pending voids are not allowed when the issuance method is Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or Warrant (WAR).

 What issuances may be voided?

 Only monthly issuance can be voided.

NOTE:   The key is the availability date. Only benefits that contain a future availability date can be canceled/voided at least one day prior to the date they are posted to the client Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) account.

 What reason codes are used to void benefits?

The following Reason Codes are used to void a Cash or Food Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Issuance

210/248 Failed Residency Requirement/HOH Not Eligible All members on the AU should show client level Reason Code 210 for pending void to work
244/248 Death/HOH Not Eligible All members on the AU should show client level Reason Code 244 for pending void to work
557 AU Requests Closure Reason Code 557 voids all benefits if entered at the AU level or partial benefits at the client level

Is advance notice required to void benefits?

The reason codes used to void benefits don't require advance notice of the change be given to the household allowing the pending issuance to be voided. Even though advance notice is not required, adequate notice is always required. See EAZ Manual - WAC 388-418-0020 Effective Date for Changes.

Online Processing

How do I process a pending void at the Assistance Unit (AU) level when all members of an AU have failed residency requirements?

To void benefits with Reason Code 210 - Failed Residency Requirement, take the following steps in the ongoing month for the Assistance Unit (AU) you want to complete the pending void:

  1. Go to the Case Actions page: See How do I access the Case Actions page in ACES 3G?
  2. From the Case Actions page click the Start Changes link.
  3. On the Navigation Tree click on the clients name to display the Clients Detail page.
  4. From the Residency/living Arrangement section, select No (N) in the WA Resident drop down.
  5. Update this field for each member of the AU.
  6. On the Eligibility page, select Commit Changes.
  7. Change the benefit month to the current month you want to complete the pending void, and follow steps 3-6.   
NOTE:  For Reason Code 210 - Failed Residency Requirement, benefits can only be voided at the AU level, not at the client level.  The void occurs when all AU members are terminated for the current benefit month with Reason Code 210 - Failed Residency Requirement (Reason Code 248 - HOH Not eligible displays at the AU level), benefits were issued for that month, but they are not available yet.

EXAMPLE:   AU is active on food benefits and normally receives their benefits on the 10th of each month. On 8/25/18, benefits for 9/2018 are issued, but are not available until 9/10/18. On 9/6/18, the client calls and reports everyone in the household moved to another state.

The user codes everyone in the household as non-WA residents for ongoing month 10/2018 as well as the current month 9/2018. During overnight batch, benefits for 9/2018 are voided, and the issuance status is updated. In ACES.online, on the Issuances page, the Current Status for the 9/2018 issuance is now Void EBT Transaction (VD).

How do I process a pending void at the Assistance Unit (AU) level when all members are deceased?

To void benefits with Reason Code 244 - Death, take the following steps in the ongoing month you want to complete the pending void:

  1. Go to the Case Actions page: See How do I access the Case Actions page in ACES 3G?
  2. From the Case Actions page click the Start Changes link.
  3. On the Navigation Tree click on the clients name to display the Clients Detail page.
  4. From the Identity section, enter a [death date] in the Death Date field.
  • Update this field for each member of the AU.
  1. On the Eligibility page, select Commit Changes.
  2. Change the benefit month to the current month you want to complete the pending void, and follow steps 3-5. 
NOTE:  For Reason Code 244, benefits can only be voided at the AU level, not at the client level.  The void occurs when all AU members are terminated for the current and ongoing benefit months with Reason Code 244 (Reason Code 248- HOH Not eligible displays at the AU level) benefits were issued for the current month, but not available yet.  

EXAMPLE:   AU is active on food benefits and normally receives their benefits on the 1st of each month. On 8/25/18, benefits for 9/2018 are issued, but are not available until 9/1/18. On 8/30/18, you receive notice to terminate everyone in the AU as the household members have passed away.

The user codes the clients in the household as deceased for ongoing month 10/2018 as well as the current month 9/2018. During overnight batch, benefits for 9/2018 are voided, and the issuance status is updated. In ACES.online, on the Issuances page, the Current Status for the 9/2018 issuance is now Void EBT Transaction (VD).

How do I process a pending void at the Assistance Unit (AU) level when closure of an AU is requested?

To void benefits at the AU level with Reason Code 557-AU Requests closure, take the following steps in the ongoing month for the Assistance Unit (AU) you want to complete the pending void:

  1. Go to the Case Actions page: See How do I access the Case Actions page in ACES 3G?
  2. From the Case Actions page click the Start Changes link.
  3. On the Navigation Tree click on the Assistance Unit program to access the Assistance Unit Detail page.
  4. From the AUID section, select AU Requested Closure (557) from the Reasons field drop down options.
  5. On the Eligibility page, select Commit Changes.
  6. Change the benefit month to the current month you want to complete the pending void, and follow steps 3-5.

NOTE:   For Reason Code 557, benefits can be voided at the AU or client level. 

For Reason Code 557, the void occurs when all AU members or specific household member(s) are terminated for the current, and ongoing benefit months with Reason Code 557, benefits were issued for that month, but they are not available yet.

EXAMPLE:   AU is active on food benefits and normally receives their benefits on the 5th of each month. On 8/25/18, benefits for 9/2018 are issued, but are not available until 9/5/18. On 9/2/18, the Head of Household (HOH) calls to request that benefits for the entire AU are terminated.

The user codes the AU as requesting termination for ongoing month 10/2018 as well as the current month 9/2018. During overnight batch, benefits for 9/2018 are voided, and the issuance status is updated. In ACES.online, on the Issuances page, the Current Status for the 9/2018 issuance is now Void EBT Transaction (VD).

How do I process a pending void at the client level when closure of a client off an Assistance Unit (AU) is requested and the AU remains active?

To void benefits at the client level with Reason Code 557- AU Requests closure, take the following steps in the ongoing month you want to complete the pending void:

  1. Go to the Case Actions page: See How do I access the Case Actions page in ACES 3G?
  2. From the Case Actions page click the Start Changes link.
  3. On the Navigation Tree click on the Assistance Unit program to access the Assistance Unit Detail page.
  4. From the Clients section for the specific household member to void benefits for, select AU Requested Closure (557) from the Reason field drop down options.
  5. On the Eligibility page, select Commit Changes.  
  6. Change the benefit month to the current month you want to complete the pending void, and follow steps 3-5.

NOTE:   For Reason Code 557, benefits can be voided at the AU or client level. Benefits can be voided at the client level when Reason Code 557 is coded for one or more household members, and the AU has other eligible household members, and remains active.

The void occurs when one or more clients are terminated from the AU for the current benefit month with Reason Code 557, the AU remains active, benefits were issued for that month, but they are not available yet.

EXAMPLE:   AU is active on food benefits and receives their benefits on the 15th of each month. On 8/25/18, benefits for 9/2018 are issued, but are not available until 9/15/18. On 9/1/18, the Head of Household (HOH) calls to request that benefits are terminated for one of the other clients on the AU.

The user codes the requested client as requesting termination for ongoing month 10/2018 as well as the current month 9/2018. During overnight batch, benefits for 9/2018 are voided, and the issuance status is updated. In ACES.online, on the Issuances page, the Current Status for the 9/2018 issuance is now Void EBT Transaction (VD). In the same overnight batch process, benefits are recalculated and reissued for the new amount after the requested client is removed from the calculation. The reissued benefits are displayed on the Issuances page in the Current Status section as Reissue Approved (RA).

How can I tell if a benefit has been voided?

All voided benefits are displayed on the Issuances page in the Current Status section as Void EBT Transaction (VD).

How can I tell if a benefit has been reissued?

All reissued benefits are displayed on the Issuances page in the Current Status section as Reissue Approved (RA).  

Mainframe Processing

 How do I process a pending void when all members of an Assistance Unit (AU) have failed residency requirements?

To void benefits with Reason Code 210 – Failed Residency Requirement, take the following steps in the month the issuance is pending:

  1. On the DEM1 screen, enter [N] –No in the WA Res field for all members of the AU.
  2. Call DONE and commit the data.

 Reason Code is 248 – HOH not eligible displays at the AU level and, Reason Code is 210 – Failed Residency Requirement displays at the client level.

 How do I process a pending void for an Assistance Unit (AU) when all members are deceased?

To void benefits with Reason Code 244 – Death, take the following steps in the month the issuance is pending:

  1. On the DEM2 screen, enter [date of death] in the Death Date field and [state where death occurred] in the Death State field for all members of the AU.
  2. Call DONE and commit the data.

Reason Code is 248 – HOH not eligible displays at the AU level, and Reason Code is 244 – Death displays at the client level.

 How do I process a pending void when closure of an Assistance Unit (AU) is requested?

To void benefits with Reason Code 557- AU Requests Closure, take the following steps in the ongoing and the months the issuance is pending:

  1. On the STAT screen, enter [557] in the AU Status Reasons field.
  2. Call DONE and commit the data.

Reason Code is 557- AU Requests Closure displays at the AU and the client level.

To void benefits for a specific household member:

  1. On the STAT screen in the Rsn field at the client level, enter Reason Code-557 AU Requests Closure.
  • Issued benefits are voided in overnight batch and the system AUTO reissues the correct benefit amount for the AU.

 How can I tell if a benefit has been voided?

All voided benefits are reflected on the JMEN screen with a valid value of VD - Voided Benefits. It takes overnight to see the VD status.

 

See ACES screens and online pages for an example of pages or screens used in this chapter.