Revision 24-3; Effective July 1, 2024

SNAP and TANF

Verify fugitive status for people who are fleeing felons or violating their probation or parole.

TANF

There are no verification requirements for household composition. Age, relationship and domicile eligibility criteria are verified to determine people included in the TANF certified group.

Verify out-of-state disqualifications for felony drug convictions.

SNAP

Verify:

  • household size and composition, if questionable;
  • out-of-state disqualifications for intentional program violations;
  • out-of-state disqualifications for felony drug convictions;
  • compliance with parole or community supervision for people with a felony drug conviction on or after Sept. 1, 2015, at each application, renewal, and when adding a new household member with a felony drug conviction at a change; and
  • if a felony drug conviction is:
    • after another felony drug conviction on or after Sept. 1, 2015; and
    • received while the person was receiving SNAP.

Unless questionable, the household’s statement is acceptable verification of:

  • a felony drug conviction; and
  • who purchases and prepares meals together.

If the required household members claim to live at separate physical addresses and the information in the case record shows otherwise, including electronic data sources, request additional verification to clear the discrepancy between the household’s statement and the information in the case record. Use Form H1020, Request for Information or Action to request additional verification.

If the required household members claim to live in separate dwelling units at the same physical address, attempt to clear the discrepancy using the county appraisal district (CAD). If the information from the CAD does not clear the discrepancy or shows there is only one dwelling unit at the physical address, request additional verification using Form H1020.

To be considered as living separately, required household members must provide verification that they live in separate dwelling units. If unable to clear the discrepancy, consider the required household members as living together.

A dwelling unit is a home, mobile home, duplex unit, apartment unit, condominium unit or any unit in a multiunit residential structure. A multiunit residential structure is two or more dwelling units in one or more buildings that are:

  • under common ownership;
  • managed by the same owner, agent or management company; and
  • located on the same lot or tract of adjacent lots or tracts of land.

Include required household members on the SNAP EDG who live at the same physical address, regardless of the design of their unit.

Medical Programs

To determine a person’s MAGI household composition, each person on the application must provide their tax status, which will identify the person as a taxpayer, tax dependent, a non-taxpayer or non-tax dependent. Additionally, applicants must provide the following information about their tax relationships to one another:

  • a taxpayer who plans to claim one or more dependents must provide the name of each dependent;
  • a taxpayer who plans to file a joint federal income tax return with a spouse must provide the spouse’s name;
  • a taxpayer who plans to file a separate federal income tax return from their spouse must provide the name and filing status of the spouse; and
  • a tax dependent must provide the name of each taxpayer who expect to claim them.

Note: For a pregnant woman, if tax status information is not available and the client cannot be reached, staff can create a Medicaid for Pregnant Women (TP 40) EDG and certify the pregnant woman by postponing verification of tax status. Using the non-taxpayer and non-tax dependent household policy, request additional information for the tax status on the TP 40 EDG. Staff must verify tax status for a TP 40 EDG after certification if the tax status was not verified by the client during the eligibility determination.

Related Policy

Postponed Verification Procedures, A-145.1
Age/Relationship, A-500
Domicile, A-900
Deprivation, A-1000
Social Security's Criteria for Disability, B-432.1

A—251 Verification Sources

Revision 24-3; Effective July 1, 2024

SNAP and TANF

Verify household composition using the following verification sources:

  • building permits;
  • court documents;
  • county records;
  • child welfare records;
  • court child support order;
  • current school record showing the same address as the specified relative;
  • hospital, clinic, health department or private doctor's records;
  • juvenile court records;
  • juvenile Medicaid tracker, only for those placed or released by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department or Juvenile Probation Department;
  • lease agreements;
  • marriage license or certificate;
  • mortgage statements;
  • property deeds;
  • statement from clergy, non-relative landlord or non-relative neighbor;
  • tax records;
  • titles; or
  • visual observation of the child.

Note: When a household’s statement contradicts information found in the CAD, use prudent person principle to ensure statements from a non-relative landlord, non-relative neighbor or clergy adequately explain the discrepancy.

Verify intentional program violations and felony drug convictions with an out-of-state human services agency.

Verify fugitive status for fleeing felons and probation or parole violators with law enforcement by using a:

  • written notification that law enforcement is actively seeking to apprehend the person within the next 30 days; and
  • copy of the arrest warrant.

For fugitives who are fleeing felons, the arrest warrant must also contain one of the following National Crime Information Center (NCIC) codes:

  • Escape (4901);
  • Flight to Avoid (4902); or
  • Flight-Escape (4999).

Note: Staff must not pend for, or attempt to get, verification of fugitive status for fleeing felons or probation or parole violators. Verification of fugitive status is provided to HHSC by law enforcement when law enforcement actively seeks to apprehend a person.

TANF

Verify time limits with an out-of-state human services agency.

SNAP

Verify compliance with parole or community supervision for people with a felony drug conviction on Sept. 1, 2015, and after, using:

  • Form H1806, Parole/Community Supervision Report; or
  • answers to the parole or community supervision compliance questions submitted online through YourTexasBenefits.com or the Your Texas Benefits mobile app when the person who has the felony drug conviction is the same person who:
    • signed the online application;
    • signed the renewal; or
    • submitted the change.

Verify subsequent felony drug convictions while receiving SNAP using:

  • criminal history in Data Broker;
  • an out-of-state human services agency; or
  • TIERS inquiry.

Medical Programs

Verify MAGI household composition, including a person’s tax status and tax relationships, using client statement unless questionable.

Related Policy

Prudent Person Principle, A-137
Questionable Information, C-920
Providing Verification, C-930