Unredeemed Benefits Shopping for WIC foods can be the most difficult part about parcipang in WIC. Customer confusion about brands or WIC allowable foods oſten results in unredeemed benefits because of not purchasing a WIC item or embarrassment at the checkout. What can you do to take advantage of these unredeemed benefits? Work with your Local WIC Agency Vendor Liaison to beer understand opportunies in your area and establish partnerships; Maintain inventory; Use WIC shelf labels; Provide Universal Product Code (UPC) data to the State Agency to ensure an up to date Approved Product List (APL) file; Take advantage of hands-on cashier training by WIC staff with an in store training session; and Address challenges to the stores’ internal register system, such as difficules voiding unwanted items, denial of allowable foods, and idenfying WIC products as they are rung up. The WIC’r Basket WINTER 2017 EDITION WIC authorized retailers using a state issued POS device to process eWIC transacons are required to return their equipment when their WIC authorizaon is terminated. This applies even if the retailer will connue to process SNAP. The Vendor Management Unit will request Fidelity Informaon Services (FIS) send a pre-paid return shipping label to the store address via mail. It is the responsibility of the store owner, operator or manager to ensure the equipment is returned in a mely manner. The WIC Program will no longer pay the monthly service fee for the POS equipment upon withdrawal or terminaon of a Vendor Agreement. Returning Stand-Beside Point of Sale (POS) Equipment Vendor Newsleer of the West Virginia WIC Program West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources | Bureau for Public Health, Office of Nutrion Services Beech-Nut® Announces Packaging and Universal Product Code (UPC) Changes Beech-Nut® currently has three infant cereals in 8 oz. boxes approved for WIC participants (multigrain, oatmeal, and rice). Beginning in March 2017, these three cereals will change packaging from cardboard boxes to plastic containers. The UPCs associated with these products will also change. Additionally, one new “sensitive” infant cereal will become available as WIC approved in March 2017. Below is the WIC allowed product information with new UPCs and images of the new packaging: UPC Code (12 digits) Product Name Package Size Price 052200034712 Complete Multigrain Cereal 8 oz. $2.49 052200034729 Complete Oatmeal Cereal 8 oz. $2.49 052200034705 Complete Rice Cereal 8 oz. $2.49 052200034767 Sensitive Oatmeal Cereal 8 oz. $2.79
Transcript
Unredeemed Benefits
Shopping for WIC foods can be the most difficult part about participating in WIC. Customer confusion about brands or WIC allowable foods often results in unredeemed benefits because of not purchasing a WIC item or embarrassment at the checkout. What can you do to take advantage of these unredeemed benefits? Work with your Local WIC Agency Vendor Liaison to better understand opportunities in your area and
establish partnerships; Maintain inventory; Use WIC shelf labels; Provide Universal Product Code (UPC) data to the State Agency to ensure an up to date Approved Product List
(APL) file; Take advantage of hands-on cashier training by WIC staff with an in store training session; and Address challenges to the stores’ internal register system, such as difficulties voiding unwanted items, denial
of allowable foods, and identifying WIC products as they are rung up.
November 2014
The DHHR Employee Newsletter
One Davis Square, Charleston, WV 25301
The WIC’r Basket WINTER 2017 EDITION
WIC authorized retailers using a state issued POS device to process eWIC transactions are required to return their equipment when their WIC authorization is terminated. This applies even if the retailer will continue to process SNAP.
The Vendor Management Unit will request Fidelity Information Services (FIS) send a pre-paid return shipping label to the store address via mail. It is the responsibility of the store owner, operator or manager to ensure the equipment is returned in a timely manner. The WIC Program will no longer pay the monthly service fee for the POS equipment upon withdrawal or termination of a Vendor Agreement.
Returning Stand-Beside Point of Sale (POS) Equipment
Vendor Newsletter of the West Virginia WIC Program West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources | Bureau for Public Health, Office of Nutrition Services
Beech-Nut® Announces Packaging and Universal Product Code (UPC) Changes
Beech-Nut® currently has three infant cereals in 8 oz. boxes approved for WIC participants (multigrain, oatmeal, and rice). Beginning in March 2017, these three cereals will change packaging from cardboard boxes to plastic containers. The UPCs associated with these products will also change. Additionally, one new “sensitive” infant cereal will become available as WIC approved in March 2017. Below is the WIC allowed product information with new UPCs and images of the new packaging:
UPC Code (12 digits) Product Name Package
Size
Price
052200034712 Complete Multigrain Cereal 8 oz. $2.49
052200034729 Complete Oatmeal Cereal 8 oz. $2.49
052200034705 Complete Rice Cereal 8 oz. $2.49
052200034767 Sensitive Oatmeal Cereal 8 oz. $2.79
Nestle Reintroduces Gerber® Barley Infant Cereal
Nestle is pleased to reintroduce Gerber® Barley Infant Cereal. Beginning March 1, 2017, the barley variety will be available in 8 oz. plastic containers. Gerber® WIC-eligible 8 oz. infant cereal is approved in five varieties.
Product UPC
Gerber® Barley Infant Cereal 8 oz. 0 15000 07002 1
Gerber® Rice Infant Cereal 8 oz. 0 15000 07000 7
Gerber® Oatmeal Infant Cereal 8 oz. 0 15000 07001 4
Gerber® Multigrain Infant Cereal 8 oz. 0 15000 07003 8
Similac Sensitive® Non-GMO is NOT WIC Approved
The West Virginia WIC Program has received several complaints in regards to WIC transactions for Similac Sensitive® Ready-To-Feed (RTF) infant formula. Complaints include participants being unable to purchase the infant formula or receiving two different types of infant formula. While participant error can account for some difficulties, we would like to encourage WIC Vendors to advise staff of the differences in the Similac Sensitive® product labels. It may also be helpful to ensure the products are not stocked on the same shelf.
Approved Product List (APL) File Download Keeps System Up to Date
Changes to the West Virginia WIC Program APL occur a minimum of two times per month to assist in smoother transactions for WIC approved products. If your store has an integrated system, confirm your point of sales (POS) contractor or IT support downloaded a copy of the WIC APL, and applied it to your system, to ensure your store has the most current information available to you and your customers. If your store is equipped with a state provided POS device, a download of the APL occurs nightly as long as the machine retains access to the internet.
Please keep in mind, WIC Vendors have 48 hours to apply APL changes to their system once the file is released from the West Virginia WIC Program; section 11.5 of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Operating Rules reads, “WIC Vendor shall apply the APL to their systems when retrieved and no later than within 48 hours of the APL file create date and time as recorded in the APL file header record.”
For cost-containment purposes, Federal regulations require WIC Vendors be organized into peer groups. The assigned Vendor Peer Group influences the maximum allowable redemption rate (not to exceed price) your store may charge for individual food items. The NTE price applied to WIC purchases at your store will be fair and equitable since this price is derived from a peer group of stores which are the same size and/or have a similar volume of WIC sales. Annual Vendor Peer Group review occurred with written notice of any changes sent to the store effective October 1, 2016.
In addition, the West Virginia WIC Program has transitioned to adjusting the NTE price for individual products from every quarter to every seven days. NTE price is applied for each peer group as two standard deviations of the average cost during the last 90 days of redemptions for individual products (by Universal Product Code/UPC). It is our hope to more closely account for market changes and adjust price competitive standards accordingly.
During November 2016, NTE adjustments occurred across all Vendor Peer Groups ranging from 0.26% to 9.0% (of the total WIC sales in the store). While the expectation of the WIC Program is for authorized vendors to be cost competitive, we also want to ensure a positive business environment. Our data reveals adjustments seem quite store specific versus by product or food category. The store is encouraged to notify the Vendor Management Unit if there are products that often experience an NTE adjustment. NTE adjustments can be noted on the reconciliation receipt of the transaction.
What is a Not to Exceed (NTE) Adjustment?
Expanded Hours of Operations
The Vendor Management Unit is pleased to announce expanded hours of operation, effective immediately. The new hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The change will help accommodate more availability for technical assistance to all WIC retail locations. We hope these new hours will make it more convenient for you and your staff. We look forward to serving you during these new hours.
Vendor Handbook Access
Each WIC authorized store is required to keep a copy of their WIC Vendor Handbook in the store. As a result of excessive printing costs and the prevalence of computers throughout most WIC authorized retail stores, an online version of the Vendor Handbook is now an acceptable alternative to the hard copy Vendor Handbook. The link below can be used to download the electronic version of the handbook to save on one or more of your store’s computers.
If your store does not have an external internet connection, or otherwise prefers not to have an electronic version of the handbook, printed handbooks are still available upon request. Each store will be provided one printed handbook at authorization and/or reauthorization training. Regardless of whether your store prefers the electronic or paper version of the Vendor Handbook, each store is still required to have the handbook readily accessible to store management at all times the store is open for business.
West Virginia WIC Factoids (FFY 2016)
Active Participants (average per month) 40,402 Active Families (average per month) 26,641 Store Monitoring Visits Total Reviews 178 First Failed Reviews (warning letter) 42 Second Failed Reviews (sanction) 11 Educational Buys Total Buys 31
Authorized Retailers (as of 9/30/16) 285 Total Reimbursements $29,216,607
Compliance Buy Investigations
Total Buys 91 Recommendation Letters 10 Warning Letters 31
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800)877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866)632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Fax: (202)690-7442; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights or Email: [email protected] 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; This institution is an equal opportunity provider. The WIC’r Basket is published quarterly by: West Virginia WIC Program, 350 Capitol Street, Room 519, Charleston, WV 25301.
Jim Justice, Governor Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary Dr. Rahul Gupta, Commissioner and State Health Officer
Annual Training
The WIC Annual Training will be released as a newsletter in March 2017. This resource provides WIC Program changes, highlights compliance and integrity issues, and provides useful tips on processing eWIC transactions. For each store, a manager or representative is required to acknowledge that the training newsletter has been read by completing the quiz which will be enclosed with the newsletter. You must share the training newsletter with all store personnel. All training is to be completed by April 14, 2017, and individual stores and corporate contacts must submit the quiz to the Vendor Management Unit by April 28, 2017. You may also want to post a copy of the training newsletter in a central location, and include a copy in your Vendor Handbook for future reference. The training newsletter may be used as a resource to conduct additional cashier and staff training.
