What's new at MLS

A number of updates and resources below - Including the 2021 SNAP Coalition meeting schedule!    SNAP and college students     Expansion of SNAP under December COVID Package: The SNAP rules have not yet changed for college students. Massachusetts…

  Thanks all for attending Tuesday’s 1/26/21 interim SNAP Coalition meeting (over 120 attendees – wow!). Big thanks to FRAC and to our state partners for important state legislative and budget campaigns.  We are sending two emails today. This is the first with information on…

I’m writing about two sets of upcoming deadlines:  (1)   Deadlines to apply for the one-time IRS stimulus payments, authorized by the CARES Act, of up to $1200 for eligible adults and $500 per qualified child (also known as the Economic Impact Payment (EIP)): Sept. 30 for…

We have two piece of BIG news in P-EBT land:   1.  P-EBT for September:  DTA and DESE pursued and were approved for September P-EBT benefits for Massachusetts students. This includes P-EBT for the delayed start of schools as well as P-EBT for any children in remote learning…

MassHealth has operated under a comprehensive 1115 Demonstration program for most people under 65 and not needing nursing home care since 1997. The 1115 Demo has been renewed at 3 to 5 year intervals ever since then.  The current demonstration authorization period runs from July 1,…

Thank you to all of you who joined yesterday’s Zoom call.  102 participants! Wow, we figured you were all vacationing. It was a pleasure to have you on the call along with our national partners from FRAC. THANK YOU for all you do to serve low income Massachusetts…

MassHealth has sent out notices to people now enrolled in Basic and Essential as  well as some people now in Comm. Care or the Health Safety Net about their coverage changing to MassHealth CarePlus on Jan. 1.   People with disabilities or other special health care needs can choose to…

We just received word from the Commissioner's office that they have agreed to issue overnight EBT cards to any SNAP recipients whose EBT photo card did not reach them and their current blue card is not active or the envelope was returned to DTA by the postal service as undeliverable. As you…

At the SNAP Coalition meeting on Tuesday we heard from DTA that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is currently updating databases that DTA workers use to verify Social Security (also called RSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The update will continue through…