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Title 7: SNAP Page 1 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter H: Adjustments Overview Revised October 11, 2024
Overview This chapter provides instructions for what to do when an incorrect Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP allotment has been issued and how to replace SNAP destroyed in a household misfortune. The first section covers when and how to restore lost benefits, followed by an explanation of claims and collection actions. The remaining sections review policies relating to handling requests for replacement of SNAP. Restoration of Lost Benefits Legal reference: 7 CFR 273.17 If a household is entitled to lost benefits, take the necessary action to restore the benefits. A household does not need to do anything before the Department can restore lost benefits, nor does the household need to be currently eligible for SNAP in order to receive lost benefits. The following sections give more information on: ▪ When to restore lost benefits ▪ Time limits for restoring benefits ▪ How to restore benefits ▪ Disputed benefits When to Restore Benefits Legal reference: 7 CFR 273.17(a)(1)(e) Restore benefits only when: ▪ The Department made an error; or ▪ Judicial action found that household benefits were wrongfully withheld; or ▪ An intentional program violation (IPV) determination was reversed. A person who is disqualified because of an IPV is not eligible for restoration of lost benefits just because a criminal conviction was not obtained. The IPV determination still needs to be reversed before the person can get lost benefits. There may also be other specific situations cited in sections of Title 7 where a household is entitled to restoration of lost benefits. “Restored” benefits apply only when issuing additional benefits for months other than the current month. (To issue additional benefits during the current month, see 7-G, Issuing Supplemental Allotments.) Do not restore benefits when the household got less SNAP than it should have because of a household error.