SNAP Overpayments Waived During COVID-19 Pandemic

Illinois Department of Human Services Logo

03/01/2023

Policy Memo

Summary

  • The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) received waiver approval through Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to waive establishment of new claims resulting from pandemic-caused Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) overissuances as a result of the challenges posed through the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). The waiver will ease the administrative burden on the State and alleviate additional financial hardships on households caused by the PHE.
  • The initial waiver approval covered 03/01/2020 through 07/31/2022. A waiver extension was submitted and FNS approved the extension from 08/01/2022 through 12/31/2022.
  • IDHS will waive establishment of new claims resulting from pandemic-caused SNAP overissuances that occurred 03/01/2020 through 12/31/2022.
  • Pandemic-caused SNAP overissuances are overpayments that occurred during the PHE resulting from specific challenges as a result of the pandemic, such as temporary changes in State certification and re-certification procedures due to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) related adjustments.
  • The waiver excludes overissuances occurring prior to 03/01/2020, and Suspected Intentional Program Violations (SIPV) which include customers intentionally withholding information or giving false statements on applications, redeterminations and Mid-Point Reports in order to receive more SNAP benefits than they are entitled to, and customers that violate SNAP policy on the legal use of SNAP benefits.
  • The waiver also excludes overissuances discovered in quality control (QC) reviews and does not apply to Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) benefits.
  • IES will continue to recalculate eligibility and display to the worker when ineligibility exists.  Workers should continue referring Suspected Intentional Program Violation (SIPV) cases to the Bureau of Collection (BOC) for possible overissuance establishment.
  • A request to extend the waiver beyond 12/31/2022 has been submitted and another memo will be posted once a response has been received.

SNAP Overpayments During PHE

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) received waiver approval through Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) to waive establishment of new claims resulting from pandemic-caused Supplemental Nutrition Services Program (SNAP) overissuances as a result of the challenges posed through the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). The waiver will ease the administrative burden on the State and alleviate additional financial hardships on households caused by the PHE.

  • IDHS will waive the establishment of new claims resulting from pandemic-caused SNAP overissuances that occurred 03/01/2020 through 12/31/2022.
  • Pandemic-caused SNAP overissuances are overpayments that occurred during the PHE resulting from specific challenges as a result of the pandemic, such as temporary changes in State certification and re-certification procedures due to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) related adjustments.
  • A request to extend the waiver beyond 12/31/2022 has been submitted and another memo will be posted once a response has been received.

Note: The waiver does not apply to Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) benefits.

Bureau of Collections:

  • The Bureau of Collections (BOC) will continue to process overissuances that occurred prior to 03/01/2020 and SIPV claims. 
  • SIPV claims are claims that include customers who intentionally withhold information or give false statements on applications, redeterminations and Mid-Point Reports in order to receive more SNAP benefits. 
  • SIPV also include customers that violate SNAP policy on the legal use of SNAP benefits. BOC will also continue to process overissuances discovered in quality control (QC) reviews.

FCRC Action:

IES will continue to recalculate eligibility and display to the worker when ineligibility exists.  Workers should continue referring SIPV cases to BOC for possible overissuance establishment.

Client Notice

A client notice will not be sent to customers. FCRC staff should refer customers to the BOC for overpayment inquiries at DHS.BOC.Ovrpmt.Referral@illinois.gov or (217) 782-8766.

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms referenced: