BASIC (11-01)

A. Background

The California Veterans Cash Benefit (CVCB) program provides a cash supplement to certain World War II veterans of the Philippine and certain U.S. military forces who were eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/California State Supplementary Payment (SSP) benefits for December 1999 as a California resident, who are entitled to SVB, and who have subsequently returned to the Philippines to live.

B. Policy

1. Administration

SSA administers the CVCB program under an agreement between the Commissioner of SSA and the California Department of Social Services.

2. Applications

Applications for SVB payments also serve as applications for CVCB payments.

3. Eligibility For The CVCB Program

Eligibility or reeligibility for CVCB begins with the first of the month in which all of the following conditions are met, except that no CVCB payments can be made for a month prior to May 2000.

a. California Residence

The individual must have been determined to be a California resident for SSI/SSP purposes in December 1999. For SVB purposes, anyone who is eligible for SSI, as explained in VB 00102.001B.1., is eligible for California SSP whether or not the person actually received a payment.

Absent evidence to the contrary, assume California residency continued for individuals in suspense December 1999 if they were:

• California residents prior to the suspension,

• not in suspense 12 consecutive months prior to December 1999, and

• not residents of another State in December 1999.

EXAMPLE 1:

Mr. Marcos was receiving SSI/SSP benefits in California until August 1999. His benefits were suspended effective September 1999 due to excess resources and reinstated effective February 2000 after he spent down. Mr. Marcos is considered to be a California resident for SSI/SSP purposes because he was a California resident prior to his suspension, he had not been in suspense for 12 consecutive months as of December 1999, and he did not establish residence in another State.

EXAMPLE 2:

Same facts as Example 1, except Mr. Marcos states on his redetermination form that he moved to New York in October 1999 and did not return to California until January 2000. Because Mr. Marcos was a resident of another State in December 1999, he is not considered to be a California resident in that month and cannot be eligible for CVCB.

b. SVB Eligibility

CVCB can only be paid for months in which an individual is also entitled to receive an SVB payment (see VB 00102.001) for the same period (i.e., an individual cannot receive a CVCB payment for any month for which an SVB is not payable).

c. Foreign Residence

The individual's foreign residence must be in the Republic of the Philippines (residence in the Philippines and loss of Philippine residence are determined using the same general criteria in VB 00102.010 and VB 00205.150 – VB 00205.155 for determining foreign residence and loss of foreign residence for SVB purposes--except that the residence abroad must be in the Philippines). CVCB begins with the month in which the individual resides in the Philippines on the first of the month.

d. Military Service

CVCB is restricted to veterans who were members of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines military forces who were in the service of the United States during World War II and those who served in the U.S. military forces as Special/New Philippine Scouts. The service must have been for at least 90 days and the veteran must have been discharged or released from military service under any condition other than dishonorable.

For CVCB purposes, the veteran could have been either:

• in the Recognized Guerilla Service (GCS) or the Philippine Commonwealth Army (CA) during the period beginning on July 26, 1941 and ending on December 30, 1946 (see VB 00102.001B.2.a. and VB 00102.001B.2.b.); or

• in the Special Philippine Scouts/New Philippine Scouts (SPS) during the period beginning on October 6, 1945 and ending on July 24, 1947.

NOTE: Special Philippine Scouts are individuals who enlisted or reenlisted in Filipino-manned units of the U.S. Army on or after October 6, 1945. Regular Philippine Scouts are those individuals who served prior to October 6, 1945 in Filipino-manned special forces, units of the U.S. Army whose officers were American. These units were originally formed in 1901.

Other U.S. military veterans (including Regular Philippine Scouts/Old Philippine Scouts (RPS)) are not eligible for CVCB.

4. Ineligibility for the CVCB Program

An individual is ineligible for CVCB payments for:

• The first full calendar month he or she is determined to be no longer residing in the Republic of the Philippines; or

• Any month for which he or she is not entitled to an SVB payment. If other benefit income reduces SVB to zero for a month, the CVCB would not be payable for that month; or

• The month immediately following his or her date of death.

5. Payment

a. Payment Method

The SVB and CVCB amounts are delivered in a combined monthly payment.

b. Payment Levels

CVCB payments are indicated on the individual's record by the State payment code of “K.” The payment levels for CVCB are:

C. Procedure - FO and CPS

1. Field Offices

Transfer the joint SVB/CVCB application file to the designated CPS upon receipt of proof of foreign residency. (VB 00901.015)

2. Central Processing Sites

Make a determination on CVCB eligibility when the SVB application is allowed.

D. Procedure - Notices

Select the appropriate paragraph(s) to include in the SVB award or postentitlement notice:

1. Paragraph # 1 - Initial entitlement to CVCB.

The State of California has told us to pay extra money with __(1)__ SVB because __(2)__ certain requirements established by the State. The benefits are called California Veterans Cash Benefits. To receive these benefits, a person must:

• have resided in California and been eligible for an SSI California supplementary payment for December 1999;

• be entitled to Special Veterans Benefits;

• reside in the Philippines;

• have been a member of the Philippines military in the service of the United States during World War II for at least 90 days during the period beginning on July 26, 1941 and ending on December 30, 1946; or

• have been in the U.S. armed forces as a New Philippine Scout during World War II for at least 90 days during the period beginning on October 6, 1945 and ending on July 24, 1947; and

• have been discharged from military service with any type of discharge other than a dishonorable discharge.

Fill-ins:

1. (your) (his) or (her)

2. (you meet) (she meets) or (he meets)

NOTE: USE THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARAGRAPH #1 ABOVE OR AS NEEDED:

2. Paragraph #2 - Use to explain what the monthly CVCB payment is when the CVCB is continuing.

__(1)__ eligible for California Veterans Cash Benefits (CVCB) beginning (2) . (3) due __(4)__ per month in CVCB payments for __(5)__ through __(6)__ . Beginning __(7)__, the __(8)__ CVCB payment will be combined with __(9)__ SVB payment. They will be payable on the first day of the month.

Fill-ins:

1. (You are) (She is) or (He is)

2. (Month/Year)

3. (You are) (She is) or (He is)

4. (money amount)

5. (Month/Year)

6. (Month/Year)

7. (Month/Year)

8. (money amount)

9. (your) (her) or (his)

3. Paragraph #3 - Use to explain the retroactive CVCB Payment.

We __(1)__ sending __(2)__ a payment of __(3)__. This is the money due __(4)__ for __(5)__ . __(6)__ should receive the payment no later than __(7)__.

Fill-ins:

1. (are) (will be)

2. (you/him/her) (your/his/her bank or other financial institution) or (your representative payee)

3. (money amount)

4. (you) (him) or (her)

5. (Month/Year) or (Month/Year through Month/Year)

6. (You/He/She) (Your/His/Her bank or other financial institution) or (Your representative payee)

7. (Month/Day/Year) [NOTE: Allow 3 weeks--5 days for mail time to the Philippines, and the rest for delivery--including to remote areas--via the Philippines mail system.]

4. Paragraph #4 - Use when a one-time CVCB payment is made.

__(1)__ will receive __(2)__ in CVCB payments due for _(3)__ about __(4)__ . Beginning __(5)__, __(6)__ not eligible to receive CVCB because __(7)__. __(8)__ beginning with that month.

Fill-ins:

1. (You) (She) or (He)

2. (money amount)

3. (Month/Year) or (Month/Year through Month/Year)

4. (Month/Day/Year) [NOTE: Allow 3 weeks--5 days for mail time to the Philippines, and the rest for delivery--including to remote areas--via the Philippines mail system.]

5. (Month/Year)

6. (you are) (she is) or (he is)

7. (you were) (he was) or (she was)

8. (no longer a resident of the Philippines) (not entitled to SVB payment) or (any other reason)

5. Paragraph #5 - Use in a payment chart, if one is used (similar to the statement in SSI notices giving the amount of a State payment).

This includes __(1)__ for the CVCB payment.

Fill-in:

1. (money amount)

6. Paragraph #6 - Use when a person is no longer eligible to receive a CVCB payment.

__(1)__ no longer eligible for a CVCB payment beginning __(2)__ because __(3)__ __(4)__ beginning with that month.

Fill-ins:

1. (You are) (She is) or (He is)

2. (Month/Year)

3. (you were) (he was) or (she was)

4. (no longer a resident of the Philippines) (not entitled to SVB payment) or (any other reason)

Footnotes:

[1]

To qualify for the blind or visually impaired rate, SSA must have determined, prior to the date the individual becomes entitled to SVB, that the person is blind or visually impaired for the purpose of qualifying for an SSP rate based on blindness. Blindness determinations will not be made solely to determine eligibility for the CVCB blind or visually impaired rate.