Understanding Tennessee Pharmacy WIC Vendor Training 2024
Discover the purpose of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in Tennessee, focusing on providing nutritious foods, promoting healthy eating habits, and supporting breastfeeding. Learn about important guidelines for WIC transactions, the approved product list, and the process for handling therapeutic formulas and medical foods. Assistance is provided for WIC participants in accessing their benefits and resolving any scanning issues at the pharmacy.
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Presentation Transcript
1 Tennessee Pharmacy WIC Vendor Training for 2024
2 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) The purpose of the WIC Program is to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care. Breastfeeding is a priority in WIC
4 Important Information Card must be presented at time of purchase Card may be presented by participant or designated shopper Pharmacy WIC transactions are for therapeutic formula and medical foods only One TNWIC card per transaction Cards are issued by household with items and quantities combined TNWIC benefits are active for a period of 30 days
5 Important Information No minimum purchase amount WIC provided TNWIC signs to be displayed on at least one store entrance All lanes equipped for TNWIC must be utilized Receipts must identify store name, address, date and time The TNWIC approved product list (APL) consists of UPC s for approved foods.
6 Therapeutic Formula and Medical Foods Therapeutic formulas and Medical Foods are prescribed by a medical doctor. WIC Nutrition Staff receive, review, and approve/deny the prescription to be covered by the WIC program. Once approved, the specific therapeutic formula/medical foods are added to the TNWIC card.
7 WIC participant or caregiver will reach out to you in search of the prescription food benefit loaded on their TNWIC card Perform a balance inquiry on the card if clarification is needed on brand, type, package size, or flavor. Complete the order and communicate with the participant on pick up date. Do not ask for payment up front.
8 WIC participants should never bring a prescription to the pharmacy. If this happens, direct them to their WIC clinic. If eligible benefits do not scan as eligible at the cash register, it may be due to a recent change in the UPC or the wrong formula, type, or flavor may have been added to benefits. All scanning issues need to be investigated. Contact your Regional Vendor Representative and direct the WIC participant to their WIC clinic.
9 Excerpts from Conduent Guide to WIC EBT for Retailers
10 Two Options for Processing TNWIC Cards Integrated: Vendor accepts TNWIC through their Electronic Cash Register (ECR) system without needing separate device. Allows mixed basket transactions which do not require separating WIC food items from non-WIC items However, transactions MUST be rung as follows: 1. WIC 2. SNAP (Food Stamps) 3. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 4. Other forms of payment such as cash, debit and credit cards The important phrase is WIC First
11 Two Options for Processing TNWIC Cards Integrated (cont.): All check-out lanes handle WIC Payments often from a Third Party Processor (TPP) along with other forms of payments No additional agreement with Conduent, the EBT contractor If cardholder no longer wants an item, entire transaction must be voided if WIC tendered and accepted
12 Two Options for Processing TNWIC Cards Stand-Beside: Vendor uses a Point-of-Sale (POS) device separate from their existing ECR to process TNWIC transactions. Similar to that used for SNAP stand-beside transactions Cannot do Mixed basket transactions WIC may not be accepted at all lanes Requires agreement with Conduent separate from the Tennessee WIC Vendor Agreement Payments made directly from Conduent 24/7 Help Line
13 Approved Product List (APL) Each WIC Program develops own APL Over-rides not allowed Report potentially eligible additions as follows: If corporate owned, through company procedures If independently owned, through contacting Kelly Soliman, Food Policy Nutritionist at WIC.UPCRequest@tn.gov Conduent sends updated APLs daily
14 Important TNWIC Terms Cardholder: WIC participant or someone authorized to use the card on their behalf Food Benefits: Specific therapeutic formula/medical food benefits and quantities to be received from WIC IVR: Toll-free Conduent customer service line for participants to: Set and change PIN numbers Get specific food and CVB balances and transaction information Not to Exceed (NTE): Maximum price vendor is reimbursed for a particular approved food item Personal Identification Number (PIN): 4-digit number set by the participant to access their therapeutic formula and medical food benefits
15 Other Important TNWIC Terms Primary Account Number (PAN): 16-digit number on front of the TNWIC Card Settlement: Payment received for a WIC transaction whether integrated or stand-beside Universal Product Code (UPC): Specific type of barcode used to identify products sold by WIC vendors Value Added Retailer (VAR): Business entity selling or leasing integrated cash register systems
16 Types of Transactions Vendors must be able to perform: Balance inquiry Provide shopping list and/or retrieve balance of available benefits Purchase Authorize and complete a sale Reversal Partially or completely nullify a previous purchase and add benefits back to the TNWIC Card Void Cancel a previously authorized and completed transaction resulting in a reversal Mixed Basket Transaction - Cardholder has option to pay for non- WIC items with another form of payment
17 Information Retention Option of Store and Forward purchase: Transaction completed if Conduent system cannot be accessed Transaction sent through when able Vendor to retain all transaction information at least 120 days Disputed transactions retained until the dispute is resolved or at least 120 days, whichever is longer
18 Lane Information Cardholder must be allowed to: Attempt entering PIN up to 3 times Confirm remaining items and quantities prior to selecting additional forms of payment Pay for a declined item with another form of payment or given the option to not purchase the item If sliding TNWIC Card does not work after 2 attempts: PAN number can be manually keyed by the vendor or the cardholder PIN is to be entered after the PAN is manually keyed Only cardholder may attempt to enter a PIN Voided transactions are not to be used to return or provide a credit for WIC benefits
19 Return of WIC Food Items Follow your store guidelines when dealing with returns. WIC doesn t require stores to accept exchanges. If a new therapeutic prescription is given to a participant that changes the type of formula/food mid cycle- The participant takes the current formula/therapeutic food to the WIC office Nutrition Staff will add new prescribed formula/therapeutic food added to the TNWIC card There is never a need for an exchange unless the product purchase has expired, will expire before use, or damaged. Cardholders are not to receive cash for a return under any circumstances.
20 Reconciliation & Settlement Settlement is made by Conduent through ACH transactions each business day Benefits redeemed are reconciled by TNWIC Card number to total benefits for the household Vendors have access to the Vendor Portal on WIC Connect, the Conduent on-line system
21 WIC Vendor Agreement for 2024-2026 Responsibilities include: Point of Sale (POS) terminals that support EBT(integrated or stand-beside) Vendors prohibited from charging WIC for third-party costs and fees Vendors prohibited from having WIC pay or reimburse the vendor for fees related to EBT transactions (interchange fees) Vendors must comply with the EBT operating rules, standards and technical requirements
22 Food & Nutrition Service (FNS)Guidance to Offering Incentives with TNWIC Transactions
23 Discounts Discounts and coupons must be applied before accepting payment from the cardholder Quantity discounts do not reduce the food benefits balance Price discounts benefit the WIC Program
24 Transaction Discounts Vendor applies fixed amount or discount percentage to the total dollar amount of the WIC and non-WIC items Examples would be $10.00 or 10% off of $50.00 or more
25 Store/Loyalty Shopping Cards Vendor may provide card offering additional discounts for TNWIC cardholder Vendor cannot require TNWIC cardholder to sign up for their card TNWIC cardholder s option to use vendor s card for TNWIC transactions Vendor s option to have generic card available for customers not having the vendor s card
26 Important Final Reminder This concludes the presentation. We want to leave you with 1 very important reminder: For TNWIC transactions, always remember that it is WIC FIRST before other forms of payments. HAVE QUESTIONS, NEED ASSISTANCE .. Contact your local WIC Representative or visit our website at tn.gov/wic
