ffy2014 eap annual training august 20 & 21, 2013 ffy2014 eap annual training part 4: primary...

FFY2014 EAP Annual TrainingAugust 20 & 21, 2013

FFY2014 FFY2014 EAP EAP Annual Annual TrainingTrainingPart 4: Primary Heat; Payments & Refunds; Documentation; Forms

FFY2014 EAP Annual TrainingAugust 20 & 21, 2013FFY2014 EAP Annual TrainingAugust 20 & 21, 2013

Primary HeatPrimary Heat

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Chapter 6 – Primary HeatChapter 6 – Primary HeatTraining Topics:Primary Heat benefit amountsNew: Benefit Determination ErrorsNew: Inactive Energy Vendor and ConsumptionConsumption Data SpecificationsNew: Rooms Ineligible for Secondary Heat Primary Heating Fuel Cost Unavailable:

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Primary HeatPrimary Heat

Maximum Primary Heat benefit increased to $1,400 from $1,200 (p. 2)

Minimum Primary Heat benefit remains $100 (p. 2)

Average Primary Heat benefit remains $500 (not stated in EAP Policy Manual)

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatNew section: Benefit Determination Errors (p. 2)

In the event of a benefit determination error, a benefit fix is required if the correct benefit amount changes from the incorrectly determined benefit by $10 or more

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatNew section: Benefit Determination Errors (cont.)

Applies to Primary Heat benefit underpayments or overpayments of $10 or more

Document the correction on the application and recalculate the benefit (benefit fix)

If the household is still overpaid after adjusting payments and/or refunding credit, follow instructions in the Overpayments Resulting from Error section of Chapter 12 - Incidents and Appeals

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatNew: Inactive Energy Vendor and Consumption (p. 2 & 3) (When to mark actual consumption data ‘Invalid’) clarification

There is a common misunderstanding that marking an energy vendor ‘Inactive’ will stop eHEAT from using the consumption data entered for a household

There are three ‘Consumption Usage’ statuses for entered energy consumption and the statuses are independent from the status of the energy vendor. The three Consumption Usage statuses are:HeatingNon HeatingInvalid

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatInactive Energy Vendor and Consumption (cont.) There are times when a Service Provider will or will not use the reported consumption for either an inactive or active energy vendor.Regardless of energy vendor status entered consumption data for the energy vendor is still used by eHEAT to determine the household’s Primary Heat benefit if fuel usage is ‘Heating’ or ‘Non Heating’To exclude reported consumption data from the Primary Heat benefit determination, the fuel usage must be ‘Invalid’

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatInactive Energy Vendor and Consumption (cont.) What if the old vendor has actual heating consumption because the household switched vendors?Example: HH heats with LP and switched from Dealer 1 to Dealer

2 without changing fuel types Dealer 1 is marked ‘Inactive’ to prevent Dealer 1 from getting a

Primary Heat benefit Dealer 1 fuel usage is ‘Heating’ to include actual LP fuel cost for

the fuel type that is still used at the same dwelling

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatInactive Energy Vendor and Consumption (cont.)

What if the household moves to a new location?

Example: The household moves, fuel usage from the previous address is ‘invalid.’ The consumption data from the previous dwelling is not used for the new residence.

Obtain consumption for the current residence if available

Use the Back-Up Matrix if consumption is not available.

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatInactive Energy Vendor and Consumption (cont.)

What if the household switches fuel types at their dwelling?Example: Household heated with oil last year and had a

natural gas furnace installed over the summer. Oil consumption data would not be used to determine the Primary Heat benefit for the natural gas The oil dealer is marked ‘inactive’ for the household The oil consumption data is marked ‘invalid’. The Back-Up Matrix is used to determine the Primary

Heat benefit

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatConsumption Data Specifications: Actual Consumption costs used for households with voluntary energy service disconnection from connected utilities (p. 5)

Household voluntarily has energy disconnected during the (spring/summer) to save money by not having basic service chargesNew Policy: The energy vendor or the Service Provider enters a

12 consecutive months consumption range. The actual energy costs are entered for the 12 months (even though it includes months of voluntary shut off with no energy usage)This IS the household’s accurate annual energy cost for the

previous yearDo not use the Back-Up Matrix

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatRooms Ineligible for Secondary Heat ( p. 8)

Do not include the following rooms when determining whether a household used secondary heat:

Bathrooms Entryways Hallways Laundry rooms Porches Closets

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Primary HeatPrimary HeatPrimary Heating Fuel Cost Unavailable: There is no need to enter secondary biofuel consumption When the Primary Heating fuel cost is unavailable, eHEAT will use the Back-Up Matrix to determine the Primary Heat benefit

Any secondary heating fuel costs must be made ‘Invalid’ to prevent the Primary Heat benefit from being determined from partial consumption

The Back-Up Matrix benefit determination is based on 100 percent usage of the primary heating fuel

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Chapter 10: Benefit Payments and RefundsChapter 10: Benefit Payments and Refunds

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Vendor Initiates Refund

SP Processes Refund

Refund Record

Payment Record

(status Refund)

Refund netted from payment EFT/Warrant # added to payment record

Batch

Refund can be seen in Payment Screen

Refunds Life CycleRefunds Life Cycle

PaymentScreen

Refund Process Screen


How to do RefundsHow to do Refunds1. Look up payment(s) [Refunds are not initiated in Process

screen]2. Choose payment click refund button3. Click add button


How to do Refunds (cont.)How to do Refunds (cont.)1. Fill in amount and reason click submit, confirm2. The amount of the refund is restricted by the total benefits

paid to the vendor NOT by the payment chosen 3. After refund is created it can be seen in the Refund Process

screenOnly one In-Process refund is allowed per HH


SP Refunds in eHEATHow to do Refunds (cont.)How to do Refunds (cont.)


SP Refunds in eHEAT1.Search for unprocessed refunds2.Choose record to refund3.Choose Payment or De-obligate4.Payment will create Certifiable payment without a

vendor5.De-obligate returns the funds attached to the HH to

fund allocation NEW: If one scheduled payment is refunded, eHEAT will

warn of other scheduled payments Redirect or Void these payments as required

How to do Refunds (cont.)How to do Refunds (cont.)


Crisis and Refunds Crisis funds are first to be refunded ALL Crisis portion of a refund is De-obligated

regardless of button chosen If Primary heat needs to be refunded(in the case of

a benefit recalculation) and there is also a Crisis benefit then all the Crisis funds need to be refunded plus the refunded portion the PH benefit

If the HH is due Crisis benefits a new Crisis needs to be created

How to do Refunds (cont.)How to do Refunds (cont.)


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Primary Heat PaymentsPrimary Heat PaymentsCancel Done in Payment Certification/Process screen Does not de-obligate funds Creates another payment without vendor Used to redirect payment to another vendor


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Void Payment Done in Payment screen De-obligates funds

PaymentsPayments


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Reason to Void a payment Need to de-obligate funds to make room for a recalculation of

benefit HH moved out of state HH is deceased HH suspected of fraud

Not a reason to Void a payment Need to redirect payment Need to manage Crisis Payment Not sure what to do

PaymentsPayments


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DocumentationDocumentation


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IntentionContinue to improve documentation practicesBy Reconnecting to last years training Reflecting on improvements and areas for continued

improvement

Documentation Documentation


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Why this training? Last year theme – Document, document, document DOC is asked all the time about documentation.

SPs commonly ask: What do I document? What is required?

Understanding the principles and guidance of documentation is key to making documentation decisions

ReconnectReconnect


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The importance of documentation Documentation is a general business practice applied to key areas of processes and

is a key control, enables processes and ensures integrity

A means of communication & transparency When applications or household information needs to be shared Or used at a later date

A means of quality control Accurate documentation enables checks on processes The documentation must be understandable and complete

Essential as a means of program integrity & accountability Makes processes auditable Used when incidents happen to validate a verify actions

ReconnectReconnect


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What is it? WWWWH

Notes:10/17/13 – Called Bob Smith to get landlord name John Doe.- JM

Who – Bob Smith (Primary Applicant), JM What – Got landlord name When – 10/17/13 (Other dates) Where - NA How – Phone call

ReconnectReconnect


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What is it?Any physical docs when possible 10/17/12 email pasted into notes field Copy in file and note referring to it Electronic or scanned versions saved

10/17/12 From: Fred Smith (GasCo) Sent: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 1:14 PM To: SP App processor Subject: HH # 11111111

Confirmed $326 arrearage amount – Disconnection date was 10/2/13

10/17/12 Printed portal in HH file - Confirmed emergency - JM

Notes:

ReconnectReconnect


Document key interactions: Changes from normal policy or procedure Decision points when the processor makes a decision

Reconnect Reconnect to FFY13 Trainingto FFY13 Training

Consumption changes

Added Info from phone request


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Best Practices Develop common documentation methodology for your agency Train staff on:

WWWWH Being specific Critical thinking

Do quality control checks and adjustments Integrate it into your processes, don’t look at it as extra work Accept it as a necessary part of the business. (It protects the

HH, you, your SP, program)

Reconnect Reconnect to FFY13 Trainingto FFY13 Training


Reflection and Lessons LearnedReflection and Lessons LearnedDid wellsSaw overall improvementIn ‘General notes’ section people where using dates and initialsNew eHEAT notes fields in Crisis and ERR events screens helped improved notes.Saw more notes for Secondary heat usage across many SP.Better understanding of the need to take good notesBetter acceptance of the need for improved documentationBetter review of notes as quality control device (managers reviewed notes to see if people complied with standards)Better completion of forms overall

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Reflection and Lessons LearnedReflection and Lessons LearnedImprovement OpportunitiesNotes on unusual circumstances (e.g. consumption changes)Notes were weakest when the policy wasn’t well understood

People did not know what to document

Although there was more secondary heat notes, they reflected this misunderstandingBetter notes when eHEAT info differs from application submittedUsing eHEAT whenever possible for notes is best practiceDo not repeat information from screensDocument information necessary to justify the action takenUse recommendations or finding on documentation, to improve

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EAP FormsEAP Forms

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EAP FormsEAP FormsAt JAD discussed which EAP forms are required

ContextEAP uses many forms, for a variety of reasonsEAP never formally stated which are/not requiredSome SPs have asked which are requiredSome SPs have asked to modify Difficult for auditors to interpret forms if vastly different

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EAP FormsEAP FormsPrinciplesConsistency of toolsFairness of program deliveryProgram audit-abilityFlexibility to accommodate local practices

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EAP FormsEAP FormsRequired formsJAD confirmed most EAP forms are required (if a necessary part of HHD file)SP must use unaltered current program year required formsSmall changes are allowed as long as the form is essentially the same

E.g., may add SP name & phone or add section for SP recordkeeping

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EAP FormsEAP FormsOptional forms:Self-Employment Income(5B) - the origin of the info is 1040, so auditor can verify that infoDebtors Exemption Claim Notice Example (13B) - is an exampleEV Monitoring Report (3C) & Report Cover Letter (3B)

SP can use the form or provide the info in another format as long as all required info is available for auditing

Can change form for understandability as long as it has all required info

Doesn’t make sense to use the form with some vendors, e.g. Xcel provides the data in large spreadsheets – should be saved for auditing

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EAP FormsEAP FormsOptional forms (cont.):Social Security Benefit Worksheet (5G) - this is a good tool but unnecessary to save in HHD file if the calculations are noted in the fileLetter for Information About HHD Move (10C) Template for Garnishment Response Letter (13E) Leveraging Tracking Form (14D)

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EAP FormsEAP FormsNew Tool on the WebRequired and Optional EAP Forms

This document formally details which EAP forms are required and which are optional for use by Service Providers

Copies were printed for training

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ffy2014 eap annual training august 20 & 21, 2013 ffy2014 eap annual training part 4: primary...

Documents

ffy2014 eap annual training

primary heat training

average primary heat

minimum primary heat

primary heat payments

energy consumption

benefit benefit fix

primary heat new section