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MGH Community News |
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MGH Community News |
| March 2021 | Volume 25 • Issue 3 |
Highlights
Sections Social Service staff may direct resource questions to the Community Resource Center, Hannah Perry, 617-726-8182. Questions, comments about the newsletter? Contact Ellen Forman, 617-726-5807. |
CDC Extends Eviction Moratorium Through June Struggling renters just got more time to sort out their finances. The Biden administration has extended a ban on many evictions for another three months, just days before it was set to expire. Citing the ongoing pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control said it will continue the moratorium until the end of June. “The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health,” the agency said in a statement. “Keeping people in their homes and out of crowded or congregate settings — like homeless shelters — by preventing evictions is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19.” The federal ban has probably kept millions of Americans from facing eviction since it was put in place by the Trump administration in September, particularly as even stricter state moratoriums, such as the one in Massachusetts, have expired. It prohibits courts from ordering the eviction of most households if they have lost income in the pandemic and would face homelessness. As a practical matter, the ban has also discouraged many landlords from launching eviction cases, which in Massachusetts can take months to work through court. In 2021 so far, 5,911 eviction cases have been filed in the state, according to court data, down 29 percent from the same period last year. Most of those cases were initiated before housing courts closed last March due to the pandemic. Advocacy Tips/Reminders The CDC eviction ban is not automatic. Renters must qualify and assert the protection by completing this declaration form and submitting it to their landlord. The CDC eviction ban does not fully stop the process. It only stops the actual eviction. Landlords may send “Notice to Quit” letters, which is the first step in the eviction process but is often misunderstood by renters as an eviction notice. This notice is just the first step in the eviction process, tenants do NOT need to move out by that date. Here’s a flyer with more information Receiving a Notice to Quit (DHCD) and in Spanish. The CDC eviction ban only protects against eviction for money owed. It does not prevent evictions for other reasons such as lease violations.
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Rent-Relief At the same time, rent-relief funds are starting to flow from Washington, D.C., to help tenants who are still out of work keep current and pay off debt they accumulated last year. The stimulus packages passed in December and March will, combined, send roughly $900 million in rental funds to Massachusetts. The Baker administration plans to pump much of it into a rental aid program that provides up to $10,000 to tenants and their landlords. Extending the federal eviction ban, advocates say, will give more time for that money to reach people. (See accompanying stories for more.) - See the full Boston Globe article.
Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and Additional Eviction Prevention Resources On Monday, March 22, the MA Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) integrated substantial federal funding into their rental assistance delivery systems. The federal funds will be spent primarily on two programs - Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and Subsidized Housing Emergency Rental Assistance (SHERA). Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which in collaboration with the regional administering agencies (RAAs), will be integrated into existing delivery service models to help qualified individuals in need of financial resources maintain their housing. Wherever possible, ERAP is being aligned with the Residential Assistance to Families in Transition (RAFT) program to retain the simplification and process efficiencies gained over the last several months by the RAAs. Federal funding is now available for all applications currently in the pipeline. Applicants who may have already received RAFT/ERMA benefits are encouraged to reapply if they are in need of further assistance. Federal benefits and impacts include:
More ERAP Information
Subsidized Housing Emergency Rental Assistance (SHERA) Subsidized Housing Emergency Rental Assistance (SHERA), a collaboration with MassHousing and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), will allow qualified owners of income-restricted units, as well as Local Housing Authorities, to apply for help directly on behalf of all of their income-eligible residents with past-due rent. This will expedite relief to tenants in need, while also allowing RAFT-administering agencies to concentrate on applications from non-subsidized tenants in need of assistance. Stay tuned for more details on this soon. Eviction Help Resources
- From: DHCD Updates from the Eviction Diversion Initiative – March 2021, March 24, 2021. Thanks to Kelly Turley, MA Coalition for the Homeless for sharing.
Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Also Pays Utility Arrearages The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has released a letter regarding their plan to provide utility and home energy costs using federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding. The following policy and operational decisions that are effective March 22, 2021. DHCD has decided that the Rental Assistance Agencies (RAAs) that process applications for rental assistance (RAFT) will also process applications for ERAP utility assistance. This decision was made in order to provide the best experience to constituents; rather than severing the application into two parts - one for rental assistance processed by the RAAs and one for utility assistance processed by another entity - the application will remain with a single entity that can track its progress throughout the process. DHCD has changed the documentation requirement- a shutoff notice is no longer required to receive utility assistance. Under the new policy, applicant households must produce a past due notice from within the past 60 days. DHCD will provide up to twelve (12) months of eligible utility arrears for service on or after March 13, 2020, up to a maximum of $1,500 per household. If the participant cannot provide a current overdue notice, RAAs may verify the total amount owed by contacting the utility. Under ERAP, a utility shut-off notice is not required to make a payment. The following utilities are eligible:
ERAP may also pay for one delivery of heating fuel such as oil, propane, and wood pellets or an arrearage for such fuel. The cost of this delivery will count toward the total maximum $1,500 benefit. RAAs will provide households applying for utility assistance with a referral to the LIHEAP (fuel assistance) program but may serve the household with ERAP before LIHEAP determines eligibility. RAAs will recommend that eligible customers work with the utilities to qualify for a discounted rate and, if applicable, start an Arrearage Management Plan and provide appropriate contact information for the utility. RAAS will also refer the household to their local Community Action Program (CAP) agency or LIHEAP Local Administering Agency (LAA) to help them access other protections and assistance, including the discounted utility rate and, if applicable, the Arrearage Management Program. -Adapted from letter from Roberta L. Rubin, Chief Counsel, Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development and shared to the utilitynetwork@nclc.org listserve by Charlie Hark, March 27, 2021.
The New Stimulus Package - The American Rescue Plan Following enactment of the American Rescue Plan Act on March 11, the IRS moved quickly to start delivering the third round of Economic Impact Payments (EIPs). The IRS began sending out payments by direct deposit on Friday, March 12. Additional batches of payments are being sent by direct deposit and through the mail as a check or debit card. Who is EligibleIndividuals with adjusted gross incomes up to $75,000 ($112,500 for Head-of-Household and $150,000 married filing jointly) are eligible for the full stimulus payment in the amount of $1,400 each and $1,400 for each dependent, including adult dependents, for the first time.This group includes 17 year olds, around 13.5 million college students, older adults and children of all ages with certain disabilities. The amount of the stimulus payment phases out to zero for individuals making $80,000 or more ($120,000 for Head-of-Household filers, $160,000 for married couples). The upper limits for eligibility for the stimulus payments are lower than prior rounds of stimulus payments. Individuals with valid Social Security numbers, including U.S. citizens and lawfully present children and spouses in mixed-status families, are eligible to receive the third payment. Here are some examples of mixed-status families that would qualify for a stimulus check, where at least one household member has a Social Security number:
More on mixed-status families. Individuals who live in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, prisons, and other institutional settings are also eligible to receive the payments. Individuals who file taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or are undocumented immigrants remain ineligible for the payments. Form of PaymentThe IRS will issue the third round of payments based on 2020 tax returns if filed, and if not filed, 2019 tax returns, as well as information provided by individuals through the online non-filer portal used for earlier rounds of stimulus payments. The form of payment for the third EIP may be different than earlier stimulus payments sent by the IRS in 2020 or early 2021. Recipients of Social Security (retirement, survivors, and disability benefits), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), railroad retirees, and those receiving Veterans benefits will begin to receive their payments automatically in April. If an individual receives their benefits on a Direct Express card, they should get their third payment directly on their Direct Express card, unlike the earlier rounds of payments.
Stimulus payments do not affect eligibility for federal means-tested programs like Medicaid, SSI, and SNAP. Because these payments are treated like tax refunds, they are not counted as income and they are not counted as resources for a period of 12 months from receipt. Where’s My Payment? This Michelle Singletary Washington Post column covers a variety of scenarios that may help answer this question. $300 monthly child tax credits starting in July The updates to the tax credit allow it to be advanced to parents in monthly payments of $250 to $300, as opposed to once annually through their tax returns. Children must be 17 or younger, have a Social Security number and live with the parent for at least six months during the year to be eligible for the payment. According to Kiplinger the payments will go from July through December, with parents receiving a total of $1,800 for children aged 7 to 17 and $1,920 for younger children. Parents can claim the rest on their 2021 tax returns. The Child Tax Credit has historically been available for single parents earning $200,000 or less or couples filing jointly who earn $400,000 or less. The updates will force the credit to phase out for individuals earning more than $75,000 annually or couples earning more than $150,000 combined. The $200,000 and $400,000 cutoffs remain in place. Similar to the stimulus checks in previous relief packages, most of the child benefit payments will be directly deposited into Americans’ bank accounts according to their information on file with the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS will create an online portal letting families update their income, family and banking information. Here’s a 2021 Child Tax Credit Calculator For more information, see the Kiplinger Child Tax Credit Q&A Justice in Aging created an advocate’s summary of all the provisions. Additional Provisions Include
Sources and for More Information
Massachusetts Extends Utility Shutoff Moratorium to July
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has issued an Order extending the moratorium on residential gas, electric, and water utility shutoffs to July 1, 2021. The moratorium, previously scheduled to end in April, will deliver temporary financial relief for ratepayers while providing additional time for ratepayers to coordinate a payment plan with a utility company and explore the availability of financial assistance programs.
Residential customers experiencing financial hardship may also be eligible for additional assistance, such as financial assistance programs, if they self-certify to their utility company that there is a seriously ill individual living in the household, a child in the household under 12 months of age in the household, or that all adults in the home are age 65 or older and a minor child resides in the home. Customers should contact their utility company for more information on enrolling in a payment plan, declaring financial hardship or qualifying for financial assistance. For more resources for Massachusetts residents and businesses experiencing financial hardship paying their electric, gas, or water utility bills because of COVID-19, please visit the DPU website - See the full press release with additional material from Mass Live.
LIHEAP now Accepting applications through May 28 The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) fuel assistance program typically accepts applications through April. This year’s application has been extended to May 28, 2021. -See the ABCD website for more.
MA Gets Federal Approval to Expand P-EBT to Children Under 6 in SNAP Households Massachusetts became the second state to receive federal approval to expand the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program to households who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and have children under six years old (whether or not the individual child receives SNAP). An estimated 96,000 eligible children in Massachusetts under age six should have received their first P-EBT benefits by the end of March. The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) estimates the expansion of P-EBT for these children will bring provide more than $100 million in additional federal dollars for Massachusetts families. Households with children under six who get SNAP benefits will receive either $136.40 a month or $68.20 a month. In accordance with federal guidance, the benefit amount will be determined based on DESE K-12 education learning mode trends, and families will be notified of the benefit amount. All future P-EBT benefits for children under age six will be issued on the 25th of each month for the duration of the program. They will also receive a special one-time payment in early April to retroactively cover the months of October through January. P-EBT Increase Starting March 25th, eligible students in school grades K-12 will see an 15% increase in their P-EBT benefits. With the 15% increase, students in fully remote learning environments will now receive $136.40 a month and those in hybrid learning environments will receive $68.20. Based on federal rules, families may receive varying P-EBT amounts. A one-time special payment will be issued in early April to account for the increase going back to October. Households with children under age six who receive SNAP will receive their P-EBT benefits on their SNAP EBT card. Families can check their P-EBT balance on DTAConnect.com, the DTA Connect mobile app or by calling the number on the back of their card. P-EBT benefits can be used anywhere SNAP benefits are accepted, including online from Walmart, Amazon and ALDI. Learn more about P-EBT at MAp-EBT.org. Families are encouraged to check their SNAP eligibility and apply online or over the phone at (877) 382-2363. SNAP benefits received on behalf of others (e.g., your child) are not considered in the public charge test. During the public health emergency, families are receiving additional monthly SNAP payments to bring them up to the maximum benefit level for their household size, which have temporarily been increased by 15%. That is $430 a month for a household of two and $782 a month for a household of four. Residents who receive SNAP can further expand their food budget by utilizing the Healthy Incentives Program that provides an additional $40, $60 or $80 a month, depending on household size, when using SNAP to buy local produce from authorized HIP farm vendors. See the website for more: map-ebt.org/0-5 Outreach materials are available here in multiple languages: map-ebt.org/outreach-materials - See the full press release.
The State Vaccination Plan for Homebound Individuals MassHealth and the MA Executive Office of Health and Human Service have released the following statement about vaccination for homebound individuals.
If you or you support someone who is homebound, you may refer them to the State Homebound Vaccination Central Intake Line (1-833-983-0485) to be screened for appropriateness for an in-home vaccine. Please note, many local Boards of Health are managing their own homebound vaccination programs for their community. The Central Intake Line will help connect any homebound individual from across the Commonwealth with the right resource. If in-home vaccination is appropriate, individuals will be registered with the State Homebound Vaccine Provider, Commonwealth Care Alliance, or referred to their local Board of Health based on where they live. - Thanks to Mass General Disability Program Manager Zary Amirhosseini for sharing this important update.
Public Charge Changes Reversed On March 9, 2021 the federal government announced that it reversing the Trump administration course and was returning to its 1999 guidance on public charge. Under the 1999 guidance federal Medicaid, SNAP, federal public and subsidized housing and vouchers are not considered evidence of public charge. The only public benefits that are still relevant to public charge are cash welfare assistance for income maintenance like SSI, TAFDC and EAEDC and government payment (Medicaid) for long term care in a nursing home or other medical institution. Many immigrants are not subject to the Public Charge test, including those who already have Legal Permanent Resident status (LPR or “Green Card” holders) unless they leave the country for more than 180 days. Additional programs such as Unemployment benefits, WIC benefits, Pandemic EBT and Health Connector subsidies (Advance Premium Tax Credits/ConnectorCare) are also not subject to the public charge rules and were not during the period that the changes were in effect. Federal Guidance lists examples of many other benefits that are not subject to public charge, and the many types of immigrants who are not subject to the public charge test. However, the damage done by harsh immigration policies implemented during the last federal administration are long lasting and restoring trust among foreign-born communities will take time and effort. In addition, the legal battle over the public charge rule is not completely over yet. 11 conservative states, led by Arizona, recently filed a motion to intervene in a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals case over public charge challenges. This motion signals that the states hope to petition the Supreme Court to accept review of the case and have the case heard in full. More Information/Handout: The ABCs of Public Charge, March 2021 (for advocates) from Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF). The PIF team has updated our community education resources to reflect the 1999 guidance. The following updated patient-facing resources have also been translated into Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese.
- From [Health-announce] March 23, 2021 Update, Vicky Pulos, March 23, 2021, HCFAMA: A Healthy Blog, and Protecting Immigrant Families. Addendum: the United States Supreme Court has denied a request from Republican state attorneys general seeking to restore the Trump public charge regulations. The motion was filed by the attorneys general of Texas and 13 other states. As a result of the motion being denied, the Biden administration’s March 2021 reversal of the Trump policy remains in effect. (SCOTUS Update: Trump Public Charge Policy Remains Blocked!, Eddie Carmona, NILC, April 29, 2021.)
MA Unemployment Ordered to Stop Halting Payments and Follow the Law on Notice and Appeals The state’s Department of Unemployment Assistance can’t halt unemployment insurance payments or demand repayment of benefits that have already been paid out without granting claimants a chance to present their case, a Worcester Superior Court judge ruled in a preliminary injunction on March 2nd. The DUA must grant each claimant an interview within 14 days of notifying the claimant of an error or new information being discovered, and the department can’t request repayment until the claimant has had a chance to appeal. The DUA must also “make every reasonable effort” to determine the validity of a claim and notify the claimant of the benefit amount within 30 days of it being filed, the judge ordered. “This injunction will stop a number of practices of DUA that have been extremely harmful to large numbers of people who have filed claims for unemployment benefits, including claimants being put on ‘hold’ for extended periods, approved claimants having benefits stopped because of redeterminations without any opportunity to be heard, and claimants having current benefits stopped to recover old overpayments that are actually under appeal,” Community Legal Aid Litigation Director Leigh Woodruff said in a statement. More than 2.7 million unemployment claims have been filed in the state since mid-March of last year, and roughly 600,000 people still have continuing unemployment claims in the state. The order is not compelling the state to comply with new regulations but simply commanding DUA to follow its own rules, said Woodruff. - See the full Boston Globe article and the full Mass Live article.
Family and Medical Leave Recipients Face Delayed Payments, Uncertainty and New Tip Starting on Jan. 1, 2021, most workers in Massachusetts have been able to access paid family and medical leave. However, the law’s rollout has had ups and downs. One major challenge, GBH News has learned, is that some people have not been receiving their payments from the state, or their checks have arrived many weeks late. The Department of Family and Medical Leave's Facebook page is littered with unhappy Massachusetts residents fretting about overdue bills and fearing losing their homes as they wait for payments from the state. Massachusetts' Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta acknowledged the delay in payments in a virtual town hall on Feb. 18. “The timelines are longer than originally estimated for a variety of reasons, but we appreciate your patience as we work to process all of these claims,” she said. In an email, a spokesperson for the Department of Family and Medical Leave said they are adding more employees to the call center to improve customer service and, as of mid-February, the majority of some 3,400 claimants had been paid. The spokesperson did not say how long the claimants had to wait before being paid. David Shore, senior vice president of enterprise strategy and risk management for Borislow Insurance said the state’s issues may become exacerbated in July, when the benefit expands to the next phase, to allow for people caring for family members with serious health issues. Medical Leave Can be Combined with Bonding Leave An employee who qualifies for a medical leave due to aspects of pregnancy (e.g., bed-rest) or birth could request medical leave followed by bonding leave. The medical leave needs to be requested first. The employee would need a medical certification form and the length of the medical leave would depend on the need as specified on that form, up to 20 weeks. If on medical leave, call when the baby is born and then can add-on the 12 week bonding leave. In this scenario there should not be a second 7-day waiting period. (This tip was shared by a Dept of Family and Medical Leave spokesperson in a February 11 employee town hall.) - See the full GBH article and the full Boston Business Journal article.
Americans Can Soon Apply for COVID-19 Funeral Cost Reimbursement (An earlier version of this article was sent to the MGH Outreach and Resource Navigation email distribution list. Please note some key changes have been announced in the interim.) Starting in early April, Americans will be able to apply for reimbursement from the federal government of funeral costs for loved ones who died from COVID-19. The benefit amount was initially reported as up to $7,000, but more recent information says up to $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application. FEMA is still in the process of setting up a call center to accept applications, but is encouraging Americans to gather the needed documents now.Eligibility We don't yet know exactly who will be eligible to receive these funds, or if it will be based solely on income level or some other set of factors. But eligibility is expected to include:
According to the agency's website, people should start gathering the following types of documentation ahead of the program's launch:
To Apply FEMA is working to set up a dedicated toll-free phone number that can be used to apply for funeral assistance. You will be able to call this number to get an application completed with help from FEMA's representatives.
Check the site for new developments. Sources and for More Information
- Thanks to Ellen McCarthy for alerting us to this important upcoming resource.
IRS and State Push Back Tax Filing Deadline to May 17 The Internal Revenue Service announced it is postponing the country’s tax-filing deadline until May 17, as the agency grapples with a mounting backlog of 24 million returns awaiting processing since the 2019 tax year. The change also comes as the agency is sending the third round of stimulus payments and preparing to implement other parts of the American Rescue Plan. The state soon after announced the extension of the 2020 state individual income tax filing and payment due date from April 15 to match the recently-updated May 17 deadline for filing federal individual income taxes. Massachusetts taxpayers do not need to file any forms or contact the Department of Revenue directly to qualify for this automatic state tax extension. All Massachusetts taxpayers who received more than $8,000 in total gross income in calendar year 2020 must file a state personal income tax return electronically or send it postmarked by midnight May 17, 2021. Taxpayers are encouraged to file their tax returns electronically for the quickest refunds. Learn more about filing options at mass.gov/dor. DOR Taxpayer Service & Assistance The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to providing taxpayers with safe and efficient filing options as well as addressing filing questions and concerns. Taxpayers who qualify for free tax preparation programs are encouraged to check directly with local VITA and TCE sites for remote working restrictions during the COVID-10 pandemic. As a reminder, the Department’s website offers taxpayer and preparer resources including free E-file options, free fillable forms and information on locating tax-free help. - See the full Mass.gov press release and the full Washington Post article.
EBT Card Updates – DTA Has Streamlined Procedures to Improve Benefits Access The MA Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) shared some Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card updates at a SNAP Coalition meeting. When one is approved for DTA benefits, those benefits are loaded on EBT cards. Those cards are then mailed, leading at times to a significant delay. When a new card is issued, the previously issued card is deactivated. So those who may have received assistance in the past and still have their card can expedite access to new benefits by informing DTA and having benefits loaded on their existing card.
For screen shots of these options and to learn more, view this section of the MLRI COVID-19 google doc. Mass. Law Reform attorneys Victoria Negus and Patricia Baker invite advocates to contact them you are working with families facing barriers or delays in getting an EBT card. - From [FoodSNAPcoalition] EBT Card/DTA Connect updates, EOHHS Public Charge guidance, END to litigation on Trump ABAWD rule, Victoria Negus, MLRI, March 24, 2021
DTA and MBTA Partner to Allow EBT Card Use for Fares Through a new partnership between the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and the MBTA, riders who have cash value on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card can use their EBT card to load value onto a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket or purchase weekly or monthly passes at MBTA fare vending machines, the CharlieCard Store, or certain MBTA retail sales locations. Only cash benefits – not SNAP – can be used to pay for fares, and because EBT cardholders must enter their PIN during payment transactions, they cannot use their cards on a bus or trolley to purchase fares as there is no PIN pad onboard. Learn more about how to use EBT cash benefits to purchase MBTA rides, or contact DTA with questions about program benefits and eligibility. - From: MassMobility - Issue 102, March 2021, HST Office hstmobility@state.ma.us, March 25, 2021.
Biden Administration Waives Student Loan Debt Rule for People with Disabilities Anyone who is declared by a physician, the Social Security Administration or Department of Veterans Affairs to be totally and permanently disabled is eligible to have their federal student debt canceled. Those who benefit are subject to a three-year monitoring period, in which they must submit annual documentation verifying their income does not exceed the poverty line. On Monday, the department said it will waive the paperwork requirement during the coronavirus pandemic, retroactive to March 13, 2020, when President Donald Trump declared a national emergency. The agency estimates the move will help more than 230,000 borrowers, including 41,000 who had a total of $1.3 billion in loans reinstated during the health crisis for failing to verify their earnings. Those who lost their discharge amid the pandemic will regain the benefit in coming weeks. Consumer groups say issuing a waiver is merely tinkering around the edges of a troubled system when bolder moves are needed. Some had anticipated that the Biden administration would automatically discharge the federal student loans of eligible borrowers, rather than require them to submit an application for debt forgiveness. “Let’s be clear: Today’s announcement is not a victory for students,” Alex Elson, an attorney at the D.C.-based nonprofit National Student Legal Defense Network, said about the waiver Monday. “There are roughly 400,000 borrowers with disabilities who … are legally owed debt relief. The Department of Education knows exactly who they are but is choosing to do nothing for them.” Working with the Social Security Administration since 2016, the Education Department has been identifying borrowers receiving disability payments and have the specific designation of “Medical Improvement Not Expected,” which indicates they are eligible for the discharge. The agencies ultimately found about 400,000 matches and encouraged those borrowers to apply, but few did. Nearly 70 percent of those eligible borrowers, who hold an estimated $14 billion in student debt, have not received relief, according to data the department provided Congress. Elson argues the department “should waive negotiated rulemaking and issue a new regulation that automates discharges for these borrowers,” which is what the Trump administration did for veterans. Attorneys at Student Defense, he said, are evaluating the legal options to get disabled borrowers timely relief. The existing disability discharge process has been widely criticized for being difficult to navigate and excessively complicated. A 2016 Government Accountability Office review of the program found borrowers were routinely derailed by the income verification process because the Education Department failed to clearly state that failure to submit the form would lead to their loans being reinstated. About 98 percent of reinstated disability discharges happened not because earnings were too high, but because borrowers simply did not submit the requested documentation, according to the GAO. Critics of the process say the bureaucracy bolsters the argument for automation. - See the full Washington Post article.
RMV Extends Senior Hours The RMV has extended its Wednesday senior hours through April and is now welcoming all adults age 65 and up to make reservations for these appointments. The RMV first launched Senior Wednesdays in September at six Registry locations, with the goal of helping adults age 75 and older feel safer about conducting in-person transactions during the pandemic. Over time, the RMV expanded the program, and senior Wednesdays are currently available at 17 Registry locations. Older adults can make a reservation online, by emailing MassDOTRMVSeniors@dot.state.ma, or by calling the RMV at (857) 368-8005. - From: MassMobility - Issue 102, March 2021, HST Office hstmobility@state.ma.us, March 25, 2021.
Outreach Needed – Same-Sex Partners Who Were Unable to be Married Due to Discriminatory Laws May Be Eligible for Survivors Benefits Recent court victories in class action lawsuits challenging the use of discriminatory state marriage laws to deny Social Security survivors’ benefits to same-sex partners and spouses mean that people who were previously denied benefits or who never applied should now contact Social Security to ask to reopen their denied claim or to apply for benefits. Although the cases are being appealed, the Social Security Administration is accepting claims for benefits even while the cases are on appeal.
Individuals may not know that they could now qualify for survivors’ benefits because they have not received a notice from Social Security, they never applied before because they assumed they were not eligible, or they were not old enough to qualify for benefits before. - From Social Security Survivor’s Benefits for Surviving Same-Sex Partners and Spouses, Justice in Aging, March 22, 2021.
In October 2020, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (the Claims Conference) announced that it would issue Supplemental Hardship Payments in recognition of the adverse effects of the pandemic on the elderly in particular, and the onslaught of health, emotional, and financial hurdles that Holocaust survivors have faced during this time. Eligible survivors will receive a payment of about $1,400 in 2021, and another payment of about $1,400 in 2022 (the exact payment date for each recipient will vary). The majority of Holocaust survivors in the U.S. receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which provides modest financial assistance for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. On February 26, 2021, after coordinated advocacy, the Social Security Administration (SSA) released EM 21014, which provides instructions for excluding the Supplemental Hardship Fund payments made to Holocaust survivors from income and resource counting for the purpose of determining SSI eligibility and benefit payment amount. - Adapted from: Protecting SSI Benefits for Holocaust Survivors, Justice in Aging, March 10, 2021.
Daily Table – Free Delivery within 2 Miles of Stores (The following was previously shared with the MGH Outreach and Resource Navigation email distribution list.) Daily Table, a nonprofit affordable community grocer, can now deliver within 2 miles from its stores in Dorchester, Roxbury, and Central Square, Cambridge. Daily Table also offers 50% off fresh produce with SNAP- up to $10/day- with the Double Up Food Bucks program! See the website to learn more. -Thanks to Kristen Risely for sharing this important resource.
Boston Pilots Free CharlieCards/Bluebikes for Workers in Five Areas The city of Boston has announced a pilot program in which workers at businesses in the Main street districts in Nubian Square, Hyde/Jackson Square in Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, East Boston and Fields Corner can sign up for CharlieCards preloaded with $60 of value and two-month Bluebikes passes. The passes will go to the first 1,000 employees to sign up. This pilot program will be phased over the next two months. Some people will be randomly selected to get an MBTA pass with the full $60 right away. Others will get two cards after four weeks with values that add up to $60. Bluebikes pass-holders will be able to take as many trips as they like during the two-month period. Trips must be completed within 45 minutes to avoid usage fees. Riders are responsible for any fees and for bikes that go missing during their rental period. There is no obligation to continue paying for the pass once the two months are over. The goal is to try to ease Covid-19 recovery in areas that have been particularly hard hit by the virus - and to ease congestion in those areas by getting more people on public transit. APPLY FOR A FREE PASS Note: Signup will be open until April 19, 2021.
MAP OF PILOT AREA - See the City of Boston website with additional material from Universal Hub.
ABCD Connect – Food, Rent and Emergency Expenses Program ABCD Connect is an assistance program for residents of Boston, Malden, Medford and Everett with income at 200% FPL and below who lost income due to the pandemic. Call 617-348-6329 or email abcdconnect@bostonabcd.org to learn how the program can help you pay for food, rent, heat, or other bills. See the Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/BostonABCD or see the website: https://bostonabcd.org/service/rental-assistance-2/ for details about rental assistance programs for these communities. - Thanks to Roxanne Reddington-Wild for sharing this resource.
Tax Prep Assistance for MGH Practice Patients (This information was shared with the MGH Outreach and Resource Navigation email distribution list.) MGH is once again collaborating with the Massachusetts Essentials for Childhood Initiative and The Neighborhood Developers/CONNECT to help eligible families with no cost tax preparation services. This is an IRS sponsored program created to help families target the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other credits in their tax filings. These credits often go unclaimed and research shows that they can significantly improve health outcomes in 5 years or less, especially maternal and child health. EITCs are considered one of the nation’s most effective anti-poverty programs and one of the best public health interventions available. Last year, the program was piloted at MGH Chelsea. This year, other MGH practices are welcome to submit referrals. 2021 Program highlights:
MGH advocates may contact Silvestre Valdez at 617-887-3568 or savaldez@partners.org with questions. Note that anyone with low/moderate income can seek tax prep assistance from VITA sites. See Free Tax Return preparation for qualifying taxpayers (IRS.gov). - From: Tax preparation and submission help, MGH Outreach and Resource Navigation Group email distribution list, Kristen Risley, March 29, 2021. - Thanks to Silvestre Valdez and Kristen Risley for sharing this information.
FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit – New Details, But No Start Date Yet The FCC posted a new consumer FAQ on the Emergency Broadband Benefit. The FAQ provides answers to common questions on benefit eligibility, how the discount will be applied to broadband service costs, and program length. It also includes information on the enhanced Tribal benefit and the connected device benefit. A section on enrollment will be added once the program’s official start date is announced. The hospital and physician communities recognize that affordable broadband access is an issue of digital health equity. - From: COVID-19 Update -- Patricia Noga, R.N, MHA, March 30, 2021
Tech Goes Home Helps to Bridge the Digital Divide Tech Goes Home (TGH) brings computers, internet, and training to those without throughout Greater Boston, so students can do homework, adults can find jobs and manage finances, seniors can connect with loved ones, and all can lead healthy lives. Programs are directed at those without technology at home, with a focus on individuals who are un- or under-employed, are from low-income households, have limited English proficiency, or are living with disabilities. TGH offers programs for adults, as well as family-based intergenerational programs. TGH’s family-based programs engage youth and their caregivers together to learn digital skills as a team. Each family or individual who participates in TGH programs receives 15 hours of live, interactive digital skills training, a Chromebook or iPad, and, if needed, 12 months of internet services. Click below to learn more about our programs and see upcoming courses. In the past five years alone, TGH has graduated 22,000 learners and distributed 14,500 new computers. Of the households that TGH serves: 90% live in households that are considered “very low income” (HUD 2017), 90% are people of color, nearly 50% are English language learners, and 34% of adult learners are unemployed. Learn more: techgoeshome.org - Thanks to Florenny Cabrera for sharing this resource.
Massachusetts Women Can Now Access Abortion Medication Through the Mail For the first time, women in Massachusetts are now eligible to get abortion services via telemedicine without having to leave their homes. Massachusetts joined a federal study in late January that allows anyone living in a participating state to access telabortion services if they are under 10 weeks pregnant. All they need is an ultrasound from a primary care doctor and a telehealth visit with a provider that participates in the study. Then, the abortion medication is mailed to their home. The telabortion study began in 2016 with just a handful of states to review the validity of FDA regulations that require the abortion medication, Mifepristone, be given in person by a clinician. “We really see telabortion as just an expansion of options for people. We don’t really see it as replacing anything,” said Leah Coplon, who oversees the federal telabortion study for Massachusetts patients. “It’s just one more way to make abortions accessible to folks.” Coplon is the program director at Maine Family Planning, one of the providers under the federal study. She’s been offering telabortions to Maine residents since 2017 and helped open up the service to Massachusetts residents earlier this year. Joining the study did not require any action by the legislature or the governor, merely a trained provider in the study and a licensed physician in the state. There are several reasons why patients decide to choose this option, Coplon said, and privacy is a big one. Dr. Jennifer Childs-Roshak, who heads Planned Parenthood in Massachusetts, said telabortions also help address disparities that too often impact minority and low-income women. “By providing ways for folks to receive abortion care in a way that doesn’t require taking time off from work, traveling long distances, having to find child care, putting their livelihood in jeopardy, it improves health equity,” Childs-Roshak said. Telabortions are also cheaper. A medication abortion in a Massachusettts clinic can cost $500 to $700 — two or three times the cost of a telabortion. “One might be surprised that even here in Massachusetts people must travel up to or more than 100 miles to access abortion," she said. "This is a tremendous barrier for people on the western part of the state and the Cape and Islands.” To apply: https://telabortion.org/ - See the full GBH article.
America Rescue Plan Health Care Provisions Including Health Connector Savings As noted elsewhere, on March 11, 2021, the fifth COVID-19 relief package, the American Rescue Plan (H.R. 1319), was signed into law. The law included a number of health care coverage related provisions. It includes significant coverage and affordability expansions for ACA. In Massachusetts, that means ConnectorCare members, members receiving Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTCs) only and some members with incomes beyond 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) will see premium reductions. The American Rescue Plan eliminates the subsidy cliff so that subsidies no longer end at 400 percent of the FPL, and there is no upper income limit for receiving APTCs. This means that any individual who purchases coverage through the Health Connector will now be eligible to access APTCs if their annual premium exceeds 8.5 percent of their annual household income and they do not have access to other coverage. The American Rescue Plan makes the extra tax credit amounts available to in 2021 and 2022. Member Messaging Health Connector members will begin receiving email communications about these upcoming changes. They will explain that the American Rescue Plan allows them to now qualify for more monthly tax credit savings to help lower monthly health insurance bills. Many people may see lower premiums in May. Important: Members who receive subsidies don’t need to take any action to qualify for these savings. The Health Connector is working to make these updates in tax credits for them automatically. However, this is a good time to work with members to update their information if anything has changed since they last applied. Remember, if their income has since gone down, they may now qualify for more tax credits and therefore lower premiums. Those with Health Connector plans who never applied for financial help will need to complete an application for financial help before the Health Connector can see if you qualify for savings starting in May. Additional Resources:
Reconciliation Relief Recognizing that the pandemic caused greater-than-usual economic disruption and uncertainty in 2020, the ARP waives repayment of any excess premium tax credit received by marketplace participants during that year.
Temporary COBRA Premium Subsidies for 2021 The ARP provides for a new 60-day enrollment period and temporary COBRA premium subsidies for up to 6 months during 2021. Subsidies will cover 100% of the monthly cost of COBRA while people are eligible. The law requires the former employer to pay the COBRA premium for subsidy-eligible individuals; the federal government will then reimburse the former employer for this cost.
Open Enrollment Extended Additional Health Related Provisions Include
Also see:
- From (unless otherwise noted): The newly signed American Rescue Plan offers more savings to Health Connector members – changes coming soon!, Massachusetts Health Care Training Forum mtf@umassmed.edu, March 18, 2021 and Health Affairs.
RAFT Posts Big Gains But Still Room for Improvement The state’s emergency housing assistance program is upping its game, pushing more money out the door and helping more people struggling to avoid eviction. As of January 13, the program had dispensed only $22.6 million of the $100 million available. But now that figure has more than doubled to $48.4 million. The number of households helped is also rising, although that data isn’t as current. The program helped 2,676 households in January, a big boost over the 1,267 helped in December. The numbers are a big improvement from the fall and early winter, when there was public outcry about the slow release of funds after Gov. Charlie Baker ended the state’s eviction moratorium and turned to Residential Assistance for Families in Transition — or RAFT program — as one of the main methods to keeping people struggling financially in their homes. The regional administering agencies that process, respond to, and allocate housing assistance funds saw a boost in staffing, funding, and training in January in an effort to ramp up processing a landslide of applications. In January alone, the agencies received 9,409 new applications and denied 6,045. The state’s department of Housing and Community Development says it’s important to note that the number of denials and approvals in a month don’t fully correspond to the net new ones, since there are other applications from previous months still being considered in addition to the 9,409. The overall approval rate is closer to 50 percent, according to a spokeswoman. Reasons for denial include incomplete documentation and property owners being unwilling to participate in the program, which directly compensates landlords for tenants’ unpaid rent. “Between completion of hires and training, a new admin plan that really transformed the program from a homelessness prevention program to a disaster relief fund, and the extra helping hands from the Rental Assistance Processing Center, productivity has increased dramatically in recent weeks,” said Stefanie Coxe, executive director for the Regional Housing Network of Massachusetts. Her organization has been working with the Department of Housing and Community Development to speed up the processing of applications and make applications easier to complete. Despite the progress, advocates say improvement is still needed and some tenants are waiting a long time for applications to be processed. The state’s department of Housing and Community Development says that the average wait time for action on an application is 68 days. Each Regional Administering Agency, the department said, has a language access plan, and has telephone numbers and phones being answered with translation available. “We’re still seeing really long wait times. We’ve been hearing from people who applied in late November and early December who are just getting approvals now,” said Isaac Hodes, director of Lynn United for Change. Hodes said cases should not be closed without speaking with the tenant who applied. He also said people who sublet apartments are ves (sic) excluded from the RAFT program even though subleases are a primary housing arrangement for many groups of immigrants in areas hard-hit by COVID-19, including Lynn, Chelsea, and East Boston. Andrea Park, a staff attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, said efforts to improve the RAFT program seem to be working. “Overall it seems RAFT processing times are improving, though there are still challenges in various regions,” she said. “Unfortunately, evictions were allowed to resume long before these systems were ready.” Her organization is hoping the state will make new funds accessible with less documentation, and provide payments directly to tenants when landlords refuse to participate in the process. “All of these things are explicitly permitted by the US Treasury Department in disbursing these funds, and many other states are also adopting “low-barrier” systems to ensure maximum participation,” she said. But advocates are still pushing the state to reduce the paperwork requirements, expand outreach to non-English speakers and those in other vulnerable communities, and pay the rent directly when tenants and landlords can’t cooperate to fill out all the forms. Those in Informal Housing Arrangements or Working Through Middlemen Face Barriers Many of the renters who live in informal housing across the state — in attics and pantries and subleased bedrooms — have borne the brunt of the pandemic. But for scores of these precariously housed tenants, that rental aid remains out of reach — a symptom of what advocates and renters say is a disconnect between the formal requirements of housing assistance and the informal ways that many poor people live. Even before COVID-19 struck, these residents existed on the margins of a housing market in which high rents and stagnant wages pushed tenants into crowded dwellings, advocates say. They find themselves in an impossible bind: unable to pay rent and also unable to prove they are eligible for aid because of their off-the-books living arrangements. One of the major barriers to securing aid is that these residents often rely on informal middlemen to navigate the region’s housing markets. For tenants on the margins, to get a landlord involved is to risk being thrown out — exactly what they’re trying to avoid. “Oftentimes, the owner of the property doesn’t know what’s happening, or they don’t want to acknowledge it’s happening,” said the Rev. Edgar Gutierrez-Duarte of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Chelsea. The priest sees many tenants in this situation because, with nowhere else to turn, they come to him for help. He draws from a discretionary church fund that is rapidly dwindling. Some advocates have suggested sending rental funds directly to tenants. But the state is not currently considering changing the payment process, according to a spokesman for the Department of Housing and Community Development. And federal guidelines require that federal rental funds flow through landlords. Only after making serious attempts to notify the landlord can the funds be given directly to the tenant. “We still have to go through the process of contacting the landlord, which still would create the very problem that folks are trying to avoid,” said Stefanie Coxe, executive director of the Regional Housing Network of Massachusetts, which represents the agencies that manage RAFT. Sending money to the landlord instead of directly to the tenant is also intended to protect tenants, Coxe said, because landlords have to agree not to evict in exchange for the aid. The state has tried to make the funds accessible. Unlike many similar programs across the country, the state program does not require a formal lease. And roommates can apply separately, according to a state spokesperson. - See the full Commonwealth Magazine article and the full Boston Globe article. |