This memo clarifies business integrity requirements and factors that FNS may and may not consider when determining a firm’s participation in SNAP.
USDA is issuing this notice of proposed rulemaking to improve SNAP's quality control system as required in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.
USDA is aware of increased reports of EBT theft due to card skimming, cloning, and similar fraudulent methods. On Dec. 29, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the Omnibus), which includes provisions for the replacement of stolen EBT benefits with federal funds.
USDA's FNS and ACF at the Department of Health and Human Services are aware of increasing reports of benefit theft by criminal actors through EBT card skimming schemes. After discussions with EBT processors and fraud prevention stakeholders, FNS and ACF have identified prevention measures that can be adopted to improve card security while we work towards longer-term strategies.
This landmark rule establishes requirements for state agencies to use the NAC, an innovative technology-based solution designed to identify and prevent duplicate participation. As a result, this rule takes significant steps to both enhance program integrity by reducing the risk of improper payments and improve customer service by requiring state agencies to take timely action to resolve NAC matches.
The Keys to Payment Accuracy highlight best practices and provide strategies and opportunities enabling states to improve and maintain the accuracy of SNAP payments. The 10 strategic tools included in the Keys are based on the experiences, needs, and challenges of state agencies in an effort to encourage a comprehensive approach to improving SNAP payment accuracy.
States have long served as incubators for testing strategies to help prevent program fraud. Based on an FNS partnership with 10 states, the "SNAP Fraud Framework" combines innovations in the use of analytics with concepts and practices from industry in order to more effectively detect potential fraud and improve administration and oversight.
Factsheet on the SNAP quality control process and payment error rates.
The purpose of this memo is to inform you that USDA will not release a SNAP national payment error rate for FY 2016.
The memorandum that follows is intended to clarify the three ways in which FNS measures timeliness of initial SNAP application processing. This memorandum does not represent new policy, but seeks to clarify the three existing data collection and monitoring procedures.