Page 268

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Division 10 Service 415 Program 415 Chapters 05 - 65 North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services

Changes Affecting Bills Already Paid or Incurred 415-40- 20 (Revised 10/00 ML #2629) View Archives

Benefits already provided under the program do NOT have to be refunded as long as the change was reported on time. The excess benefits were paid for bills incurred before the effective date of the change.

If a bill is incurred before the effective date of the change and remains unpaid at the time of recalculation, the bill will be paid at the previous benefit level. The computer will determine benefit payments based on the LIHEAP Share Effective Date.

If the household fails to report on time and the change resulted in an increased household co-payment percentage, the household will be responsible for any overpayment that may have resulted. Any fuel that was delivered prior to the recalculation but after the date the household should have reported will be paid by LIHEAP based upon the amount of the LIHEAP benefits stated on the previous Notice of Action because the vendor has acted in good faith. The overpayment will be determined by the eligibility worker based on the 10 days to report, 10 days to process, and effective date of 5 days from date entered. If the unreported or late reported change exceeds the 25 day time frame, an overpayment will have resulted.

If the household fails to report on time and the change resulted in an increased LIHEAP Share Percentage, the LIHEAP Share Effective Date for the new benefit level will be 5 days from the date the change is entered into the computer system.