Local

Florida's SNAP eligibility data

  1. Do you have proof that the State followed up with the 2,689 individuals mentioned by Sept 30? If so can you confirm they are no longer receiving benefits?
  • The Office of Inspector General (OIG) identified 2,689 potential errors in the review of Florida DCF's SNAP participant database, which represent .1 percent of the State's caseload.  Florida DCF has researched the potential errors identified during the OIG audit and found that of the 2,689 potential errors identified by OIG, only 1,152 are errors and may represent improper payments.  The State is taking action to collect the claims associated with those payments.

o   Of the 807 identified on the death master file, 261 were actual errors.

o   Of the 883 identified as receiving duplicate benefits in other States, 265 were actual errors.

o   Of the 4 receiving duplicate benefits within the State of FL, 4 were actual errors.

o   Of the 835 with invalid social security numbers, 601 were actual errors.

o   Of the 160 listed as disqualified from participation (in eDRS), 21 were actual errors.

  1. Please provide the Names and address of the 807 Florida SNAP participants who were listed in SSA death master file who live in the following Central Florida Counties- Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia, Lake, Marion, Sumter, Flagler and Brevard Counties.
  • FNS does not have access to the names of those identified in the audit.  Further, Section 11(e)(8) of the Food and Nutrition Act precludes  the release of any names, addresses or other identifying information concerning SNAP recipients, except for specific purposes as identified by law. (Also for # 3, 4, 5,6)
  1. Please provide the Names and address of the 835 Florida SNAP participants had invalid SSN who live in the following Central Florida Counties- Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia, Lake, Marion, Sumter, Flagler and Brevard Counties.
  • Section 11(e)(8) of the Food and Nutrition Act precludes the release of  any names, addresses or other identifying information concerning SNAP recipients, except for specific purposes as identified by law.
  • While FL DCF found that 601 of the 835 potential errors with invalid social security numbers (SSN) identified by OIG were actual errors, these 601 errors did not lead to any improper payments.  These errors did not result in any incorrect cases but were caused by either data entry errors or by the recipient providing the wrong SSN.  All of these SSNs have been corrected in the system.
  1. Please provide the names and address of the 883 SNAP  Florida SNAP participants who were simultaneously enrolled in a nearby state who live in the following Central Florida Counties- Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia, Lake, Marion,  Sumter, Flagler and Brevard Counties.
  • Section 11(e)(8) of the Food and Nutrition Act precludes the release of  any names, addresses or other identifying information concerning SNAP recipients, except for specific purposes as identified by law.
  1. Please provide the names and address of the 6,970 Florida SNAP participants who exceed the asset limitation of the SNAP program who live in the following Central Florida Counties- Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia, Lake, Marion, Sumter, Flagler and Brevard Counties.
  • Section 11(e)(8) of the Food and Nutrition Act precludes the release of  any names, addresses or other identifying information concerning SNAP recipients, except for specific purposes as identified by law.
  • The OIG report states that they found individuals who exceeded asset limitations but received SNAP benefits because they were considered "categorically eligible."  The report also states that categorical eligibility allows otherwise ineligible participants to receive SNAP, although they exceed asset and income limits.  A household is categorically eligible for SNAP if it receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI), general assistance (GA), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assistance or non-cash benefits or services.  Categorically eligible households must meet the income and asset limits from the TANF, GA, or SSI program to be eligible for SNAP.  While categorical eligibility makes a household eligible for SNAP, the household must still meet all other SNAP eligibility requirements and have a net income that qualifies it for a benefit.
  • OIG did not provide the list of 6,970 SNAP participants identified in the audit who allegedly exceed the asset limitation to the State.
  1. Please also include the names and address of the 50 Florida SNAP participants who had assets that exceeded $200,000 who live in the following Central Florida Counties- Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia, Lake, Marion, Sumter, Flagler and Brevard Counties.
  • Section 11(e)(8) of the Food and Nutrition Act precludes the release of  any names, addresses or other identifying information concerning SNAP recipients, except for specific purposes as identified by law.
  • Please also refer to question 5 for clarification regarding eligibility for benefits.
  • FL DCF is continuing its research as to whether any of these cases could be data entry errors.
  1. What is the punishment or penalty for Florida DCF not keeping the initial certification date of SNAP participants?
  • The report states that OIG could not calculate the "amount of improper payments because Florida does not store the participants' start dates in their eligibility system, even though FNS responded that states are required to keep the initial certification date and the most recent certification date."  FNS does not require that the date be kept in the eligibility system.  While Florida DCF does not store the initial start date in their eligibility system, they do have the initial start date in the individual case files.  FL DCF is in compliance with FNS regulations and therefore there is no penalty or punishment for this issue.

Amanda, you mentioned you might not be able to provide the names and address- if not could you please provide the number of people from above mentioned categories who live in the above mentioned counties?  The State reports the following households were in the requested counties at the time of the review:

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|         Assets Over $200K          |                                    |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

|         Requested Counties         |       Number of Individuals        |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Orange                             |                 2                  |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Osceola                            |                 3                  |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Seminole                           |                 0                  |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Volusia                            |                 2                  |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Lake                               |                 3                  |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Marion                             |                 2                  |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Sumter                             |                 0                  |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Flagler                            |                 1                  |

|------------------------------------+------------------------------------|

| Brevard                            |                 2                  |

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