TO:	Commissioners; TA & FS Directors; WMS Coordinators; CAP Coordinators; Medical Assistance Directors, Child Support Directors

FROM:	Russell Sykes, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Employment and Transitional Supports
	
SUBJECT:	Food Stamp Budgeting;  Updated Food Stamp Medical Mileage Deduction

EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately

CONTACT PERSON:	    Food Stamp Bureau (518) 473-1469

The purpose of this GIS is to notify districts that beginning Jan. 1, 2006, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (including vans, pickups or panel trucks) is eighteen cents/mile.
As outlined in 05-ADM-14, elderly/disabled who drive to medical appointments must given at least the IRS medical mileage rate for the purposes of the FS medical expense deduction.
Elderly or disabled individuals who claim mileage costs for transportation to medical services must be allowed at least eighteen cents per mile when computing their food stamp medical deduction.

Individuals who meet the food stamp definition of elderly or disabled are allowed an income deduction for allowable medical expenses in excess of $35 per month.  Allowable medical expenses include reasonable costs of transportation to obtain medical services.  Districts have also used locally-determined mileage rates for elderly or disabled individuals who drive their own vehicles to obtain medical services.  Districts are encouraged to use the mileage rate at which county employees are reimbursed for their employment-related travel, which some counties set at the federal rate for employee reimbursement of 44.5 cents per mile as of January 1, 2006.  However, districts must use at least the mileage rate allowed toward a medical deduction for federal income tax purposes, currently eighteen cents per mile.