A.
Electronic benefit transfer (EBT): SNAP and cash benefits are issued through a
direct deposit into an EBT account. The benefits are maintained in a central
database and accessed by the household through an individual debit card issued
to the household.
B. Initial
issuance of EBT card: The EBT card is issued to the designated payee of the
eligible household or to the designated authorized representative.
(1) The EBT card is mailed to the head of
household or the designated authorized representative on the first working day
after the application is registered. The applicant or recipient shall receive
training on the use of the EBT card prior to activation of the EBT
card.
(2) The EBT card shall be
issued to the payee for an eligible household through the most effective means
identified by HCA which may include issuance at the county office or by
mail.
(3) The applicant or
recipient must verify their identity.
(4) The payee for the eligible household may
select the four-digit personal identification number that will allow access to
the household's benefits.
C. Replacement of the EBT card
:
The recipient or designated authorized representative shall be instructed on
the procedure for replacement of an EBT card that has been lost, stolen or
destroyed.
(1) The recipient or designated
authorized representative may report a lost, stolen or destroyed EBT card
through the HCA EBT contractor customer service help desk, HCA EBT customer
service help desk or any ISD field office.
(2) The lost, stolen, or destroyed EBT card
shall be deactivated prior to a replacement card being issued to the
household.
(3) ISD shall make
replacement EBT cards available for client to pick up or place the card in the
mail within two business days following notice by the household to ISD that the
card has been lost, stolen or damaged.
(4) ISD may impose a replacement fee by
reducing the monthly allotment of the household receiving the replacement card,
however, the fee may not exceed the cost to replace the card.
D. Excessive replacement cards:
The HCA office of inspector general (HCA OIG) will generate a warning letter to
SNAP recipients that have replaced their EBT card five or more times in a 12
month period. The letter is a notice of warning and will explain that as a
result of the recipient's high number of replacement EBT cards, their EBT SNAP
transactions will be closely monitored. The letter will become part of the
recipient's case record. The letter will:
(1)
be written in clear and simple language;
(2) meet the language requirements described
at 7 CFR
272.4(b);
(3) specify the number of cards requested and
over what period of time;
(4)
explain that the next request, or the current request if the threshold has been
exceeded, requires contact with ISD before another card is issued;
(5) provide all applicable information on how
contact is to be made in order for the client to comply, such as whom to
contact, a telephone number and address; and
(6) include a statement that explains what is
considered a misuse or fraudulent use of benefits and the possibility of
referral to the fraud investigation unit for suspicious
activity.
E. Inactive EBT
accounts: EBT accounts which have not been accessed by the recipient in the
last 90 days are considered a stale account. HCA may store stale benefits
offline after notification to the household of this action.
(1) The notification to the household shall
include the reason for the proposed action and the necessary steps required by
the recipient to reactive the account.
(2) The recipient may request reinstatement
of their EBT account anytime within 364 days after the date of the last benefit
account activity.
F. EBT
benefit expungement: When benefits have had no activity:
(1)
SNAP:
HCA may expunge benefits that have not been accessed by the
household after a period of 274 days. HCA must attempt to notify the household
prior to expungement. Expunged benefits are no longer available to the
household. Requests for reactivation must be received prior to expungement and
a determination shall be made by the director or designee of the income support
division.
(2) Cash:
Cash assistance benefits which have had no activity for an
excess of 180 days will be expunged. All benefits older than 180 days in the
account will no longer be accessible to the household. The household loses all
rights to all expunged benefits. The department shall attempt to notify the
household no less than 45 days prior to the expungement of the cash assistance
benefits.
