115 Unclear Information

During the certification period for all reporting types (see 106 CMR 366.110(A), (B), and (C)), the Department might obtain unclear information about a household's circumstances from which the Department cannot readily determine the effect on the household's continued eligibility for SNAP or benefit amount. The Department may receive such unclear information from a third-party. Unclear information is information that is not verified, or information that is verified, but additional information is needed in order to correctly adjust the SNAP benefit. The Department must pursue clarification and verification (if applicable) of household circumstances if unclear information is received during the certification period when: (A) The information is less than 60 days old relative to the current month of participation and, if accurate, would have been required to be reported based on the household's reporting requirements; (B) The information appears to present significantly conflicting information from what was used at the time of certification; or (C) The information is the result of prisoner and/or death data matches. If the unclear information does not meet the above criteria, the Department must not act on the information or require the household to provide any further information until the household's Interim Report or recertification. In these instances, the Department may follow up with a household to provide information on a voluntary basis if that information would result in an increase in SNAP benefits but may not take adverse action if the household does not respond.