May 15, 2024
EBT Cardholders Are Urged to Plan Ahead as Benefits Will Be Unavailable for a Period of Time Early Sunday Morning
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is alerting New York Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cardholders that their advantages might be briefly unavailable whilst a machine exchange is made this Sunday, May 19, 2024, between 12:01 a.m. and roughly 11 a.m.
This transient interruption in services and products is important as New York’s EBT machine might be converting over to a brand new contractor. The precise outage is also shorter or last more than anticipated. Check otda.new york.gov or name the EBT customer support helpline, 1-888-328-6399, on May 19 to determine when the EBT machine is again up and operating.
“Millions of New Yorkers depend on these vital benefits to help support their families, and OTDA is working to expedite the EBT system change to minimize the impact on affected recipients,” stated OTDA Acting Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn. “I urge all EBT cardholders to do their shopping and make cash withdrawals ahead of time, so they will not be inconvenienced during this brief switch over.”
Cardholder get admission to to EBT, together with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance advantages, may not be to be had throughout this era of time. This comprises get admission to for meals and money purchases or money withdrawals, in addition to get admission to to the EBT toll-free customer support helpline, cell app, and shopper portal.
OTDA has labored intently with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, native social services and products districts, shops and traders, and different leaders and human services and products advocates to verify as many of us as imaginable suffering from the changeover are conscious of the EBT machine downtime and to guarantee a easy transition and cut back doable problems for recipients.
After the transition is whole, cardholders will have the ability to use their similar EBT card and PIN. A brand new card may not be wanted. The EBT customer support helpline, 1-888-328-6399, will stay the similar after the transition. As a reminder, cardholders are inspired to switch their PIN steadily with the intention to cut back the danger of fraudulent transactions and receive advantages robbery.
What is converting?
Following this transition, the present on-line shopper portal will not be in use for EBT cardholders. Cardholders will wish to obtain or get admission to the brand new ebtEDGE app and shopper portal, which is able to permit cardholders to test transactions and deposits, freeze and unfreeze their card, and alter their PIN. Information on the brand new ebtEDGE app and web site might be posted on otda.new york.gov and mybenefits.ny.gov.
The shopper portal and cell app exchange is not going to impact EBT cardholders’ skill to make purchases. Once the EBT machine is again up, cardholders will have the ability to resume making purchases and money withdrawals in an instant.
Who is affected?
This transient machine outage on May 19 most effective impacts New York EBT cardholders. EBT cardholders from different states may not be affected and can have the ability to use their EBT card in New York with out interruption.
Why is OTDA converting EBT distributors?
The EBT contract conversion is needed in response to State Finance Law procurement regulations for the reason that contract with the prevailing supplier is expiring and no additional contract extensions are to be had. OTDA engaged in a aggressive procurement procedure to retain a brand new supplier.
Why do the conversion on this Sunday?
May 19 used to be decided on as a result of EBT historic transaction information presentations that the 3rd weekend of the month has the lightest transaction quantity.
Where can EBT Cardholders in finding extra information?
Visit otda.new york.gov and mybenefits.ny.gov for information concerning the EBT conversion, together with updates on the length of downtime, in addition to steps cardholders will wish to take to get admission to EBT account information thru the brand new supplier’s cell app and on-line shopper portal.
Efforts to inform EBT cardholders of the approaching machine exchange have incorporated messages on the OTDA and myBenefits internet sites, OTDA emails to customers of the present shopper portal and cell app, messaging on the OTDA hotline and EBT customer support helpline, NYC Department of Social Services emails to recipients who use the ACESS HRA cell app, signals to native social services and products districts, USDA signals to shops, social media outreach, and OTDA notifications to 311, 211, and different emergency networks.
While the machine is down on May 19, the EBT cardholder helpline, 1-888-328-6399, may not be to be had.
Once the conversion is whole and playing cards can be utilized once more, OTDA will post messages pronouncing the machine is to be had for use on otda.new york.gov, facebook.com/nys.otda, and twitter.com/nysotda.