Revision 05-4; Effective August 1, 2005
TANF and SNAP
HHSC credits benefits to the cash or food account by sending a benefit record to the EBT system. This section describes the availability of those benefits for use by the cardholder.
B—251 Monthly Benefit Issuance Schedule
Revision 21-4; Effective October 1, 2021
TANF and SNAP
HHSC sends the files of benefit records for monthly issuances to the EBT system after cutoff each month.
TANF
TANF monthly benefits issued via EBT are available on a staggered basis over the first three days of the month, based on the last number in the EDG number, as follows:
| Last digit of TANF EDG number | Day |
|---|---|
| 0, 1, 2, 3 | 1 |
| 4, 5, 6 | 2 |
| 7, 8, 9 | 3 |
SNAP
For SNAP households certified before June 1, 2020, SNAP monthly benefits are available on a staggered basis over the first 15 days of the month, based on the last number of the EDG number, as follows:
| Last digit of the SNAP EDG number | Day |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1 |
| 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 6 |
| 4 | 7 |
| 5 | 9 |
| 6 | 11 |
| 7 | 12 |
| 8 | 13 |
| 9 | 15 |
SNAP benefits will become available for the following households on a staggered basis between the 16th and the 28th day of the month, based on the last two digits of the EDG number:
- new SNAP households certified on or after June 1, 2020; and
- previously certified SNAP households who reapply after a break in coverage and who did not receive SNAP benefits in the previous six months preceding the application.
|
Last two digits of the SNAP EDG number |
Day |
|---|---|
| 00-03 | 16 |
| 04-06 | 17 |
| 07-10 | 18 |
| 11-13 | 19 |
| 14-17 | 20 |
| 18-20 | 21 |
| 21-24 | 22 |
| 25-27 | 23 |
| 28-31 | 24 |
| 32-34 | 25 |
| 35-38 | 26 |
| 39-41 | 27 |
| 42-45 | 28 |
| 46-49 | 27 |
| 50-53 | 28 |
| 54-57 | 16 |
| 58-60 | 17 |
| 61-64 | 18 |
| 65-67 | 19 |
| 68-71 | 20 |
| 72-74 | 21 |
| 75-78 | 22 |
| 79-81 | 23 |
| 82-85 | 24 |
| 86-88 | 25 |
| 89-92 | 26 |
| 93-95 | 27 |
| 96-99 | 28 |
Note: SNAP households certified prior to June 1, 2020, will retain their existing issuance schedule based on the date initially certified, unless the EDG has a break in benefits of at least six months and the household reapplies after June 1, 2020.
B—252 Benefit Issuance on Applications
Revision 21-4; Effective October 1, 2021
TANF and SNAP
Staff provide benefits according to timeliness standards. Benefit issuances for certified applications are available immediately upon being credited to the account. Benefits requested after cutoff for the next month are available on the first day of the next month, except for SNAP-combined allotments.
SNAP
Staff may issue EBT SNAP benefits very quickly in situations that meet the HHSC criteria for a priority issuance. Request priority issuances only for SNAP benefits in three situations:
- expedited applications;
- regular applications certified on or after the 25th day; and
- benefits ordered by a hearing officer decision that requires a priority issuance to meet timeliness requirements.
The system credits benefits to the person's account in about an hour.
Related Policy
Deadlines, B-112
B—253 Methods for Sending Benefit Records
Revision 21-4; Effective October 1, 2021
TANF and SNAP
A benefit record may be sent two ways to the EBT system. TANF benefit records are sent only from TIERS. SNAP benefit records are normally sent only from TIERS, but priority issuances may also be sent by manual EBT system entry.
Entries are sent to TIERS through:
- Real time interface – credits the account right away; or
- Overnight batch file – credits the account by the next day.
Note: Manual EBT system entry must have supervisor approval.
When interview staff certify an application, the EBT system credits:
- SNAP priority issuances to the individual's account within one hour after EDG disposition; and
- TANF benefits and SNAP benefits that are not priority issuances to the individual's account by 8 a.m. CST (Central Standard Time) the day after the EDG is disposed.
B—254 Benefit Issuance When TIERS Is Unavailable
Revision 21-4; Effective October 1, 2021
TANF and SNAP
Two types of “TIERS unavailable” cases are:
- TIERS Down – TIERS is completely unavailable and the application or case cannot be accessed.
- TIERS Read-Only – TIERS is in read-only mode and workers cannot make changes to the EBT LUW for benefit issuance.
When TIERS is Down or is Read-Only, staff must:
- perform the interview;
- manually complete essential information on appropriate handbook forms;
- provide the client with manual notice;
- enter information into TIERS once it becomes available; and
- issue benefits or deny the case based on the household’s eligibility.
B—255 Priority Issuances Using the EBT System
Revision 21-4; Effective October 1, 2021
SNAP
To send the benefit record via EBT system data entry for priority issuances if TIERS is down or read-only, staff:
- obtain the person's signature on Form H1855, Affidavit for Nonreceipt or Destroyed Food Stamp Benefits;
- complete Form H1172, EBT Card, PIN and Data Entry Request, for EBT system entry; and
- receive approval by supervisor and EBT regional coordinator.
EBT regional coordinators must reconcile EBT system benefit record entries.
B—256 Discrepancies on Benefit Records Sent via the EBT System
Revision 21-4; Effective October 1, 2021
SNAP
When there is a discrepancy between the benefit records in TIERS and the EBT system, staff use the following chart to determine how actions are processed in TIERS and the EBT system:
| If the benefit amount reported to TIERS is ... | then ... |
|---|---|
| more than the amount authorized in the EBT system, | the EBT system updates the household's benefit account to reflect the amount reported in TIERS. |
| less than the amount authorized in the EBT system, | TF-07E-01, EBT Reconciliation Exception Report, is produced and sent to management for distribution. |
Related Policy
TF-07E-01, EBT Reconciliation Exception, B-262.5