TN 44 (12-17)

A. Policy for requesting payment after status for C-STOP

When a beneficiary or recipient timely reports nonreceipt of a check, SSA will usually replace the payment with a courtesy disbursement check without waiting for the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) to determine the status of the original payment. With a C-Stop code, SSA instructs Treasury to issue a replacement check only after Treasury determines the status of the original check (i.e., if the check was cashed). SSA inputs a C-Stop when the recipient is unsure if a payment was received, or is known to have abused the nonreceipt reporting process. The following policy explains the situations when payment after status (C-Stop) may apply.

1. Reporter is uncertain if beneficiary or recipient received payment

If a beneficiary or recipient reports he or she is “uncertain” whether he or she received several checks during the past year, or cannot remember whether he or she received a check for a date in the past, the beneficiary or recipient is not alleging nonreceipt, but wants our assistance in confirming whether the check(s) was received. The Technician should input a C-Stop (payment after status) to determine the status of the original check before SSA issues a replacement check.

2. SSA is aware that the claimant has abused the nonreceipt reporting system – Double Check Negotiation (DCN)

Technicians may use the C-Stop if, within the 2 years immediately preceding the claim for nonreceipt, a beneficiary or recipient:

1. Had a forgery claim denied and it is not under appeal; or

2. Negotiated both an original and a replacement check and has not claimed that either endorsement was forged; or

3. The following remark appears in the “RMKS” field on the Supplemental Security Record (SSR) or “SPMSG” field on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR): “DCN Abuse - Input as C-Stop through mm/yyyy.”  Additional DCN abuse should not occur during this period; however, if it does, change the date to reflect the new 24-month period.

IMPORTANT: For procedures when dire need is alleged in this situation, see GN 02406.150C.

Example of how to process a DCN situation where SSA is aware that the claimant has misused the reporting system:

A claimant incurs a DCN in July 2016. Because the claimant is known to have abused the DCN system, enter the warning statement in Remarks/Special Message field as, “DCN Abuse - Input as C-Stop through July 2018,". Any nonreceipt allegations made from July 2016 through July 2018 will be input as a C-Stop; beginning in August 2018, allegations can be input as a B-Stop.

3. How to identify DCN/Abuse cases

If the message: “DCN Abuse - Input as C-Stop through mm/yyyy” appears in the RMKS or SPMSG field, the case involves someone who has abused the nonreceipt reporting system with one or more true DCNs. Technicians should input any allegation of non-receipt as a C-Stop until the 24-month period ends.

For a DCN/Abuse case, there should be a DCN indicator on record OR a denied forgery claim with no pending appeal should be on the record OR no claim of forgery was made on a DCN overpayment.

a. Identifying the DCN indicator on the record

• Title II: Review the MBR. The NON REC field will show “DCN MM/YY.” (This does not always post to the MBR; however, this field will appear between the Schedule Payment (SPC PAY) field and the Hold-Check (HLD CHK) field.)

• Title XVI: Review the SSR. If MSSICS has the message, “ALERT: POSSIBLE DCN - SECOND PIN REQUIRED TO REPLACE NOW - PRESS F1 FOR HELP” when transmitting non-receipt, then review the SSR (see GN 02406.150A.3.b. and GN 02406.150A.3.c.).

b. Identifying if a forgery claim has been denied and no appeal is pending (see also GN 02406.150A.4.)

• Title II: Review the ROAR segment of the FACT query to see if DCN abuse is established on the FACT query due to a prior or current DCN overpayment being collected through benefit adjustment. The ROAR record will reflect “TOE–DUPLICATE PAYMENT TREASURY.” ROAR will have a transaction code of 23 to indicate a protest of a DCN overpayment, then a 27 to indicate the reconsideration was denied (event status code is other than due process), or no transaction code of 23 was ever input (i.e., the individual never protested).

• Title XVI: Review the PMTH Field F for a Forgery Indicator code of C, F or W. If any of these codes are present for a payment issued within the past 24 months, process a C-Stop. See SM 01601.835 for forgery indicator values. Also, look in CMPH for TOPs (overpayments) with RSN: DC within the past 24 months, and identify the sequence. Review OPDD segment for the Sequence number(s) identified. If there is an overpayment collection or recovery decision (D, G, or K TAC) for at least one DCN overpayment within 24 months, and no Forgery Indicator of A, B, D, E or I is present for that overpayment, transmit a C-Stop; otherwise, a B-Stop.

c. Identifying when no claim of forgery was made on a DCN overpayment

• Title II: There will be an overpayment on ROAR;

• Title XVI: PMTH Field F for the payment in question should be blank when there is no forgery claim. Look in CMPH for TOPs (overpayments) with RSN: DC within the past 24 months, and identify the sequence numbers. Review OPDD segment for the sequence number(s) identified. If there is an overpayment collect or recovery decision (D, G, K TAC) for at least one DCN overpayment within 24 months, transmit a C-Stop; otherwise a B-Stop. (NOTE: DA TAC should NOT be considered a collection decision because it appears during due process.)

4. If a C-Stop was input, inform the individual that SSA will not issue a replacement check until Treasury has determined the status of the original check.

• If no one has cashed the original check, Treasury issues a replacement check. If someone cashes the original check later, see the description of DCNs in GN 02406.300.

• If someone cashed the original check, the check payee may make a forgery claim. Treasury will send a claims package FMS-1133 Claim Against the United States for the Proceeds of a Government Check, FMS-3858, check photocopy to the check payee to complete and return to Treasury for a forgery determination. If Treasury determines that someone forged the check in question, Treasury sends a Claims Disposition Notice (CDN). to SSA and a replacement check to the claimant. For an explanation of the forgery claim process see GN 02406.160 and GN 02406.310. If the claim does not involve forgery, Treasury sends SSA a CDN and notifies the claimant. The technician does not issue a settlement check.

B. Procedure on how to input a C-Stop

FO and PCs should transmit C-Stops when:

• a caller is “unsure” as to whether the beneficiary or recipient received a check or

• there is evidence of DCN abuse.

The TSC should also refer suspected abuse to the FO or PC for processing.

1. How to input a C-Stop for Title II cases

Is dire need alleged? (For an explanation of dire need, see RS 02801.010.) If:

• yes, see GN 02406.150C.

  no, transmit nonreceipt by selecting NRT = 2, Payment After Status, C-Stop on the PEN2 screen. See instructions in MSOM T2PE 003.029.

2. How to input a C-Stop for Title XVI cases

Is dire need alleged? (For an explanation of dire need, see SI 02004.100.) If:

• yes, see GN 02406.150C.

• no, transmit non-receipt by selecting “2 - REPLACE AFTER INVESTIGATION” on the “Missing Recurring or Supplemental Check” (UPMR) screen in MSSICS. See instructions in MSOM BUSSR 003.012.

For both title II and title XVI, if the nonreceipt allegation is received less than 15 days from the issue date of the check, the C-Stop will be held until 15 days have passed since the check was issued before SSA forwards the report to Treasury. This is to give sufficient time for the original check to be presented to Treasury for payment if it has been cashed.

C. Procedure when claimant alleges dire need

If a claimant wishes to see a copy of a check because he cannot remember whether he received it or not, the technician should input a C-Stop. Dire need DOES NOT apply in this situation. If a claimant is a known abuser of the nonreceipt reporting system and is alleging that his or her situation is dire need, he or she must meet the criteria below.

1. For Title II cases, if the claimant meets the criteria in RS 02801.001:

1. The 800# Answering Site should forward to FO via PRIORITY MDW.

2. The FO should:

• Issue an IP for up to $999.

• ISSUE A CPS PAYMENT TO PAY THE BALANCE.

• Input an F-Stop for the missing recurring check. The IP (and CPS payment) will take the place of the missing payment.

2. For Title XVI cases, if the claimant meets the criteria in SI 02004.100:

1. The TSC will forward to FO via PRIORITY MDW.

2. The FO should:

   • Issue an IP for up to $999 (The IP will be withheld from the next month's check).

   • DO NOT ISSUE AN AOTP PAYMENT.

   • Input a C-Stop for the missing recurring check. Replacement of the original check will be dependent upon the status determined by Treasury.