From Emergency Message EM-25040 released yesterday:
… Effective immediately, the agency will comply with the relevant legal authorities in initial claims by removing references to an option to receive a paper check and directing people who insist on a paper check to apply to Treasury for a waiver.In compliance with the law and enforced by the recently released EO, the following changes supersede current instructions in GN 02402.001and GN 02402.005 and are effective as of the date of this publication.1. Updates to GN 02402.001
a. Section C bullet 4 is no longer applicable and has been removed. Effective immediately, technicians should no longer offer a temporary paper check option while waiting for Treasury contact regarding enrollment in electronic funds transfer (EFT) .b. Section C bullet 5 should read:“As of March 1, 2013, Title II beneficiaries and Title XVI recipients must select a form of electronic payment or if they allege a qualifying exemption, then apply for a waiver. Treasury is responsible for reviewing the request and making a determination. Instruct the individual to contact the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center at 1-800-967-5042. Currently, SSA cannot accept a waiver application or approve a waiver request. Treasury will contact the individuals directly once they make a determination.”
c. Additionally, field offices are no longer required to maintain a list of financial institutions in their servicing area. …
This will be much harder to implement than it sounds.
I think this will be more work for Treasury than S.S.A. Not a lot of extra work for S.S.A.
ReplyDeleteYup, this would have been a mess to fix in legacy systems esp by end of fiscal year, so basically the EM is making it a Treasury issue to deal with instead.
DeleteThey have been trying to eliminate paper checks since at least 1999.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, people accepted electronic payments almost all the time. The few who said they didn't want direct express and didn't want direct deposit were those with bank accounts who just wanted to see the check. The poor with no bank rarely objected as they were used to receiving other payments via a debit card. For those who insisted on a check, I read the exceptions to electronic payments and they saw they didn't meet the exceptions.
ReplyDeleteNow, getting people from checks to direct express that are receiving may be more difficult. Notices that electronic payments are the only way to get paid 90 days ahead of time, and if no response, send a direct express card.
The exceptions, born before 1921, living so remote that one can't access a bank or ATM or mental impairment such that they can't manage a bank account are going to be rare. The last exception seems to call for a representative oayee.
SSA needs to create Trump bank accounts that all benefits go to. No option for outside accounts.
ReplyDeleteEveryone will love them.
People will say “This is the best bank account I have ever had”.
lol! But worth the try
DeleteWith his business history?!?! No thanks! He's a convicted felon! He'd proudly take everyone's money, and run his mouth about bank fees and the cost to maintain the accounts and charge the claimants, I am certain. Instead of a "gold card", it'd be black and made of "clean" coal.
DeletePaper checks are the very least of SSA's problems.
ReplyDeleteDoes this now apply to Attorney fee checks? It was my understanding that there would be a separate order in September ending paper checks to attorneys.
ReplyDeleteDon’t they all have to be in RASR and direct deposited after that 1696 change in December?
DeletePaper checks have been around since the beginning of banking as we know it. I don't think this will fly for long. Paper checks are still real things used in real business everyday! Since when did normal banking practices end?
ReplyDeleteI needed a good laugh!
ReplyDeleteHoldouts say Trump promised he'd 'make the bill better' in the future.
The big problem with enforcing this is Direct Express. I will still send a paper check and have claimants set up DD when they get their first check until I'm punished. Direct Express is the worst.
ReplyDelete