Understanding Replacing a Set of Benefits
Replacing a Set of Benefits is the process of replacing a set of supplemental nutritious food benefits for a participant in the WIC program. A set of benefits issued to a participant can be replaced as long as the last date to use is greater than the current date. A set of benefits should be replaced if the participant's food prescription changed or if the participant is an infant or child for whom custody changed.
The replace set of benefits process can be started from the Participant Folder by activating the Add/Replace Set of Benefits menu option on the Benefit Management menu.
Terms
In order to adequately address this advanced concept, it is helpful to begin with a definition of relevant terms that will be used in the explanation.
First Date to Use (FDTU)
A date associated with a benefit that identifies the first date a participant can redeemed it. It is the first day of the established issuance cycle or the current date, whichever is later. (Also referred to as the Expected FDTU.)
Printed First Date to Use (PFDTU)
A date associated with a benefit that identifies the first date a participant can redeem it if it is picked up on time, or the first date a participant could have redeemed it if it is picked up late. It is the first day of the established issuance cycle and is printed on each hardcopy benefit as the FDTU. (Also referred to as the Actual FDTU.)
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NOTE: The reason this date is printed along with the calculated Last Date to Use (LDTU) on hardcopy benefits is to show the complete benefit period, which is a minimum of thirty days as mandated by FNS.
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Last Date to Use (LDTU)
A date associated with a benefit that identifies the last date it can be redeemed. It is the last day of the established issuance cycle and is printed on each hardcopy benefit as the LDTU.
Current Benefit
A benefit for which the FDTU is equal to or less than the current date and the LDTU is equal to or greater than the current date.
Future Benefit
A benefit for which the FDTU is equal to or greater than the current date.
Follow-up Frequency
A participant's benefit issuance cycle. It is determined by a Competent Professional Authority (CPA) and can be different for each member of a household. It can be set to one of three values:
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Monthly -- A participant is issued one set of benefits at a time, which requires the participant to go back to a clinic every month to pick up more benefits.
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Bi-monthly -- A participant is issued two sets of benefits at a time, which requires the participant to go back to a clinic every other month to pick up more benefits.
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Tri-monthly -- A participant is issued three sets of benefits at a time, which requires the participant to go back to a clinic every three months to pick up more benefits.
Cycle Adjust
An action a staff member can take to adjust the benefit issuance cycle start dates for all members of a household to be the same date. The benefit of cycle adjusting all members of a household is that everyone in the household can pick up benefits at the same time.
Prorate
An action the system can take to provide the appropriate food package size for a current benefit set when the participant is late picking up their benefits.
Late Pickup
Any benefit pickup that occurs after the first date to use for the current benefit.
Replacing a Set of Benefits
When the replace set of benefits process is started, the system analyzes the participant to determine whether they have any benefits eligible to be replaced. The system takes into account the following factors and allows benefits to be replaced if the following conditions are true:
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Benefits have been issued to the participant for the current certification period using the normal Benefits (Issue Benefits) process.
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The Last Day to Use for at least one benefit is greater than or equal to the current date.
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NOTE: Voided benefits are still eligible for replacement.
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If the system can replace a set of benefits for the participant, the following occurs when the Add/Replace Set of Benefits screen displays:
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The Replace Set (For Food Prescription Change) radio button group is enabled.
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The Currently Outstanding Sets of Benefits data grid is enabled and populated with information for each benefit eligible to be replaced.
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The check boxes in the Select column of the data grid are enabled to allow the selection of each set of benefits to be replaced.
If the system cannot replace a set of benefits for the participant, the following occurs when the Add/Replace Set of Benefits screen displays:
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Software Version: 2.40.00
