Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 9, September 1, 2024
(1) In the Refugee Assistance (REF) and
Refugee Assistance Medical (REFM) programs, an individual is not required to
provide or apply for a social security number (SSN) to be included in the
need group (see OAR
461-110-0630) or benefit
group (see OAR
461-110-0750). In these
programs, the Department may request that a member of the filing group (see OAR
461-110-0310) or need
group provide an SSN on a voluntary basis.
(2) In the Emergency Assistance (EA) and
Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Survivors (TA-DVS) programs, an
individual must provide their SSN if the individual can.
(3) Except as provided in section (6) of this
rule, to be included in the need group or benefit
group in the Oregon Supplemental Income Program Medical (OSIPM) and
Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMB) program, an individual must do one of
the following:
(a) Provide a valid SSN for the
individual
(b) Apply for a number
if the individual does not have a valid one and provide the SSN when it is
received.
(4) Except as
provided in sections (7) and (8) of this rule, in the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), to be included in the need group or
benefit group, an individual (other than an unborn) must:
(a) Provide a valid SSN for the individual;
or
(b) Apply for a number if the
individual does not have one and provide the SSN when it is received.
(5) In the Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families (TANF) program, to be included in the need
group or benefit group:
(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and
(c) of this section, an individual must:
(A)
Provide a valid SSN for the individual; or
(B) Provide verification of application for
an SSN if the individual does not have one and provide the SSN within six
months of the individual's initial TANF approval.
(b) A child (see OAR
461-001-0000) born in an Oregon
hospital is eligible for TANF benefits for up to six months from the child's
date of birth.
(c) The requirement
to provide an SSN, or verification of application for SSN, may be waived or
postponed for up to six months for any member of the need
group if the requirement would put a survivor of domestic
violence (see OAR
461-001-0000) at risk.
(6) In the OSIPM and QMB programs,
an individual is not required to apply for or provide an SSN if the individual
meets one of the following requirements:
(a)
Is not eligible to receive an SSN.
(b) Does not have an SSN and may only be
issued an SSN for a valid non-work reason in accordance with
20 CFR
422.104.
(c) Refuses to obtain an SSN because of
well-established religious objections and both of the following are true:
(A) The individual is a member of a
recognized religious sect or division of the sect.
(B) The individual adheres to the tenets or
teachings of the sect or division of the sect and for that reason is
conscientiously opposed to applying for or using a national identification
number.
(7)
In the SNAP program, an individual is not required to apply for or provide an
SSN if the individual is ---
(a) A member of a
religious sect or division of a religious sect that has continuously existed
since December 31, 1950; and
(b)
Adheres to its tenets or teachings that prohibit applying for or using an
SSN.
(8) In the SNAP
program, the requirement to apply for or provide the SSN is delayed as follows:
(a) An applicant eligible for expedited
services may receive their first full month's allotment without meeting the SSN
requirement but must meet the requirement before receiving a second full
month's allotment.
(b) Before
applying for or providing an SSN, a newborn may be included in a
benefit group for six months following the date the child is
born or until the next recertification of the benefit group,
whichever is later.
(9)
In the SNAP program:
(a) An individual who
refuses or fails without good cause (see subsection (c) of
this section) to provide or apply for an SSN when required by this rule is
ineligible to participate. This period of ineligibility continues until the
individual provides the SSN to the Department.
(b) An individual may participate in SNAP for
one month in addition to the month of application, if the individual can show
good cause why the application for an SSN has not been
completed. To continue to participate, the individual must continue to show
good cause each month until the application for an SSN is
complete with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
(c) An individual meets the good
cause requirement in subsections (a) and (b) of this section if the
individual provides evidence or collateral information that the individual
applied for or made every effort to supply the SSA with the necessary
information to complete the application process. Delays due to illness not
associated with a disability (see OAR
461-001-0015), lack of
transportation, or temporary absence do not qualify as good
cause under this rule.
(10) This rule authorizes or requires the
collection of an SSN for each of the following purposes.
(a) The determination of
eligibility for benefits. The SSN is used to verify income and
other assets, and match with other state and federal records such as the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Medicaid, child support, Social Security
benefits, and unemployment benefits.
(b) The preparation of aggregate information
and reports requested by funding sources for the program providing
benefits.
(c) The operation of the
program applied for or providing benefits.
(d) Conducting quality assessment and
improvement activities.
(e)
Verifying the correct amount of payments, recovering overpaid benefits, and
identifying any individual receiving benefits in more than one
household.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS
411.060,
411.070,
411.404,
411.706,
411.816,
412.014,
412.049 &
409.050
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS
411.060,
411.070,
411.404,
411.706,
411.816,
412.014,
412.049,
411.704,
414.025,
414.826,
414.831,
414.117,
414.231 &
42 CFR
435.910
