Policy                                                                       Issuance Number: FSC 02-03

Food Stamp Certification Manual                     Issuance Date: 03-01-02

From: Joni Jones, Director                                Expiration Date: Until Superseded

Subj: Overpayments

1. [FSC 992] – This section has been updated.
2. [FSC 994] – The benchmark for referring cases has changed from $200 to $125. Trafficking has been added as a reason for referring a case to the Fraud Investigations Unit.
3. [FSC 995] – The criteria under which cases will be referred for prosecution has been updated.
4. [FSC 996] – This section has been updated.
5. [FSC 997] – This section has been updated.

FSC 15000

The entire section has been reformatted and generally updated. Specific changes are explained below.

6. [FSC 15100] – A paragraph has been added to provide information about the new time frames for preparing overpayments.
7. [FSC 15110] – This is a new section. It contains the information about the types of overpayments. This information was moved forward from FSC 15410. Please note that under instructions for determining an IPV, signing a consent agreement with the prosecutor has been removed as a method of determining an IPV.
8. [FSC 15200] – There are new guidelines for preparing overpayments. A definition of trafficking has been provided. The instances in which an overpayment will not be prepared have been revised.
9. [FSC 15210] – This is a new section. It states when a county office worker will prepare an overpayment and when a suspected intentional program violation overpayment will be referred to the Fraud Unit to be prepared.
10. [FSC 15300] – This section now contains a definition of the date of discovery of an overpayment. It also provides the time frames for referring a suspected intentional program violation to the Fraud Unit for investigation and preparation of any resulting claim.
11. [FSC 15400] – The new time frames for preparing overpayments have been added to Step 2.
12. [FSC 15404] – The new definition of a categorically eligible household has been added to this section.
13. [FSC 15430] – The new guidelines for referring suspected IPV overpayments to the Fraud Unit have been included.
14. [FSC 15500] – The explanation of the Overpayment Unit’s responsibilities has been expanded.
15. [FSC 15510] – The explanation of the Accounting Section’s responsibilities has been updated.
16. [FSC 15530] – Offset of EBT benefits has been added as a collection method.
17. [FSC 15533] – The time frames for referring delinquent debts to the Collection Unit have changed from 120 days to 180 days. A statement has been added to clarify that the Fraud Unit monitors collections on court adjudicated cases.
18. [FSC 15535] – The criteria for suspending cases has been revised.
19. [FSC 15620] - The new guidelines for referring suspected IPV overpayments to the Fraud Unit have been included.
20. [FSC 15800]– The procedures for using EBT benefits to repay an overpayment have been updated to include information about aged benefits and expunged benefits.

Inquiries to: Betty Helmbeck, Food Stamp Section, 501 682-8284