a. Verifying Community Engagement Information Provided on an Application, Renewal Form, or Reported Between Regular Renewals

States must include questions on their applications and renewal and other supplemental forms allowing applicants and beneficiaries an opportunity to provide information demonstrating compliance with the community engagement requirement, deemed compliance, and status as a specified ( printed page 33397) excluded individual. When States receive this information at application, renewal, or based on a reported change between regular renewals, States must begin the verification process by checking the reliable information available to the State, including information obtained electronically, to verify the information. If there is no reliable information available to the State, or the information provided by or on behalf of the individual is not reasonably compatible with reliable information available to the State, the State must seek additional information from the individual, in accordance with § 435.557(b)(2), or other additional information relevant to verifying compliance or deemed compliance with the community engagement requirement or an individual's specified excluded status that cannot be verified using reliable information available to the State. As specified at § 435.557(c)(1)(i)(B), an individual must not be required to provide documentation or other additional information unless information needed by the agency could not be verified using reliable information available to the State, including when there is no reliable information available to the State or the reliable information is not reasonably compatible with the information provided by or on behalf of the individual.