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Blog Archive for December 2014

STATEMENT OF MAYDAD COHEN ON MASSACHUSETTS DEADLINE TO PAY FOR JANUARY 1, 2015 HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE

Submitted by Health-Law-Announcements
12/23/2014 - 3:06pm

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Press Release

Contact: Kim Haberlin 617-470-9686
Jason Lefferts 617-869-4894
Claire Cooper 617-921-6870

STATEMENT OF MAYDAD COHEN ON MASSACHUSETTS DEADLINE TO PAY FOR JANUARY 1, 2015 HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
 

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12/18/14 Press: "Food Stamp Reforms Ruining Christmas"; Triage suggestions for fixing SNAP closed cases over holidays

Submitted by FoodSNAP
12/23/2014 - 10:54am
The following news story came over the wire late Thursday: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4w7epw/food-stamp-reforms-are-ruining-christmas-1218.  The story reports on families from Merrimack Valley struggling to get benefits and includes a statement from SEIU regarding the woefully understaffed offices.
 
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Additional Resources for your SNAP Advocacy Work - MLRI posts DTA's Online Guide on Mass Legal Services

Submitted by FoodSNAP
12/22/2014 - 11:14am
1. DTA Online Guide

In the past, DTA updated policy and practices with DTA staff through issuing DTA Operations Memos. As of the end of October, DTA stopped releasing DTA Operations Memos and began updating policy internally through the DTA Online Guide.  
 
MLRI has obtained a copy of the Online Guide. It is posted on Mass Legal Services here: /content/dta-online-guide 
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open enrollment deadlines

Submitted by Health-Law-Announcements
12/19/2014 - 11:27am
December 23, 2014 is the deadline for people with insurance ending December 31, 2014 & the uninsured to obtain insurance starting Jan. 1, 2015 through the Health Insurance Connector. 
(People on Commonwealth Care and Temporary MassHealth or Temporary Health Safety Net are not affected by the Dec 23 deadline -- they will have until mid-January or later to re-apply and re-enroll.)
 
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VA Pension and SNAP Recipients: Outreach flier to identify MA veterans with SNAP benefits incorrectly reduced, terminated or denied

Submitted by FoodSNAP
12/18/2014 - 12:12pm

We are writing to ask you to reach out to low income veterans whose SNAP benefits may have been reduced or terminated because DTA incorrectly counted VA Pension monies the veteran does not receive. In addition to a host of troubling DTA "data matches" (matches involving non-countable Work Study, SCSEP income, earnings of a minor in school), veterans advocates are very concerned about DTA’s handling of VA Pension income in the SNAP program.

What is VA Pension and who receives it? 

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Massachusetts SNAP Participation Decline 4 Times Faster than U.S. Average: Close to 65,000 SNAP participant drop between Sept 2014 than Sept 2013

Submitted by FoodSNAP
12/17/2014 - 10:20am
The most recent USDA data available shows a HUGE 7.3% drop in the Massachusetts participation - between September 2013 and Sept 2014:
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‘I am mortified every time I have to present the food stamp card’ - Letters - The Boston Globe

Submitted by FoodSNAP
12/15/2014 - 10:03am
Today's Boston Globe features four letters to the editor from two national organizations, FRAC and CBPP; Medford SNAP recipient Diane Sullivan, Pediatrician Tamara Baer of Boston Medical Center and Brookline resident Margaret Rhodes. See links below.
 
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Eos Foundation's Changing the Equation Award Winners

Submitted by FoodSNAP
12/10/2014 - 1:22pm
 
 
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USDA and White House Promote School Meals Initiatives to Benefit Foster Youth - Important Tri-Agency Guidance; Reminder on youth and DTA wage matches

Submitted by FoodSNAP
12/10/2014 - 1:07pm

This week the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education and Health and Human Services, issued a Tri-Agency letter outlining the categorical eligibility of children and youth in foster care for free school meals, authorized under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The letter also addresses other issues including meals for other children in the household and transferring free meal eligibility when a foster child or youth moves between school districts.

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SNAP Coalition 2015 Boston Meeting Schedule; Upcoming MLRI-MCLE Basic Benefits Health Care Training on December 10th

Submitted by FoodSNAP
12/08/2014 - 3:05pm
2015 SNAP Coalition Calendar:
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