New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 8 - SOCIAL SERVICES
Chapter 139 - FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
Part 120 - CASE ADMINISTRATION - CASE MANAGEMENT
Section 8.139.120.14 - OTHER CHANGES AFFECTING SNAP HOUSEHOLDS

(1) If ISD discovers that the household failed to report a change as required, ISD shall evaluate the change to determine whether the household received benefits to which it was not entitled.

(2) After verifying the change, ISD shall initiate a claim against the household for any month in which the household was over issued SNAP benefits. The first month of the over issuance is the month following the month the adverse action notice time limit would have expired had the household timely reported the change.

(3) If the discovery is made within the certification period, the household is entitled to a notice of adverse action if its benefits will be reduced.

(4) No claim shall be established because of a change in circumstances that a household is not required to report.

(1) Intentional failure to comply or fraud: No household shall receive an increase in SNAP benefits when benefits from another program have been decreased (reduced, suspended or terminated) for intentional failure to comply with the other program eligibility requirements or for an act of fraud. This provision applies in cases where the other program is a means-tested, federal, state or local welfare or public assistance program, which is governed by welfare or public assistance laws or regulations and which distributes public funds.

(2) Failure to comply shall be determined as provided in Paragraph (3) of Subsection I of 8.139.520.9 NMAC.

(3) Verification of recoupment: Agencies administering means-tested, publicly funded assistance programs provide recipients with written advance notice of proposed changes in benefit amounts. Such notices provide information which shall determine if the reduction in cash assistance is because of a properly reported change in circumstances. In most cases, the notice shall document whether the reduction is because of a recoupment of overpaid benefits resulting from intentional failure to report changes. If the notice is not detailed enough to make a determination, the agency which initiated recoupment shall be contacted to obtain the necessary information. SNAP benefits shall not be delayed beyond normal processing standards pending the outcome of this determination.

(4) Calculating benefits: When a recipient's assistance benefits are decreased to recoup an overpayment, that portion of the decrease that is the recoupment shall first be identified. The recoupment is the amount of decrease attributed to the repayment of benefits over issued. If a Title IV-A recipient intentionally under reports income, the Title IV-A grant is first reduced to reflect the corrected income, then reduced further by the recoupment amount. In such a case, the SNAP calculation would reflect the Title IV-A amount reduced because of income, but not the second reduction caused by recoupment.