The Maine Wire
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Maine Wire TV
  • About
  • Contact
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending News
  • Bangor-area Church Sues School Board for Religious Discrimination in Lease Rejection
  • Protest at Maine State House for Iraq War Veteran Killed in 2022 Memorial Day Shooting
  • Competitive Shooting Event to Raise More Than $75k for Travis Mills Foundation with USPSA Maine State Championship
  • GOP Wants Limits on “Net Energy Billing” to Rein in Electricity Rates
  • N.H. Residents Fear Maine “Trans Sanctuary” Bill Will Harm Granite State Kids: WGME
  • Critics of Drag Queen Story Hour Are “Perverts,” Says Bookstore Owner Who Wants Children at Her Drag Event
  • Out-of-State Firms Reaping Windfall Profits on Maine’s $220M Per Year Community Solar Program
  • Gov’t Watchdog Warns That COVID Aid Fraudsters Could Escape Jail Time
Facebook Twitter Instagram
The Maine Wire
Login
Thursday, June 1
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Maine Wire TV
  • About
  • Contact
The Maine Wire
Home » News » Maine DHHS Puts Limit on Automatic Replacement of EBT Cards
News

Maine DHHS Puts Limit on Automatic Replacement of EBT Cards

Department of Health and Human ServicesBy Department of Health and Human ServicesMay 18, 2016Updated:April 30, 2018No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has implemented a new rule to detect and deter EBT card trafficking. Under the new requirement, the Department’s Office for Family Independence (OFI) can withhold a fifth EBT replacement card within a 12 month period until the client makes contact with the Department and provides an explanation for the volume of requested cards.

“This is another common sense measure to protect benefits for those who are truly eligible and to guard against fraud and abuse of the welfare benefit. When someone requests numerous replacement EBT cards over the course of a year, that should be a red flag prompting greater review of that case,” said DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew.

Once the threshold has been exceeded, at the fifth replacement request, OFI will notify a household in writing informing them of a hold on their card until the head of the household contacts them with an explanation. If OFI is not contacted, a replacement card will not be issued and the case will be referred to the Fraud, Investigation and Recovery Unit (FIRU).

In 2015, there were more than 140 requests for replacement cards that would exceed the threshold. An example of this abuse is detailed in an August 2015 news article that explains that six EBT cards found in a Lewiston, Maine drug bust had been “reissued 9, 12, 13, 15, 18 and 47 times, respectively.”

“For our safety net programs to work as intended, tax-payer funded welfare benefits must be used to support vulnerable adults and children with the purchase of basic necessities as well as to support people on the road to self-sufficiency. With law enforcement continuing to confiscate EBT cards in drug busts and with millions in Maine EBT card transactions occurring in known drug dealing cities such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Lowell, and Hartford, it is critical that we adopt common sense reforms to address any weakness in our regulations that opens the door to fraud including the trafficking in EBT cards for drugs and cash,” said Commissioner Mayhew.

If the individual is unable to explain the situation or it appears to be indicative of trafficking, OFI will refer the household to FIRU for investigation. During this time, OFI will issue a replacement card to any household so it can continue to have access to benefits while an investigation is underway and while a hearing is pending. The state will transfer the funds from the old card to the newly issued card. If an intentional program violation is found after an investigation by the FIRU, established disqualification procedures will be followed. DHHS would like to initiate contact with the individual sooner than the fifth card, but the Federal government will not allow states to further restrict the automatic issuance of replacement EBT cards.

View full rule here.

DHHS EBT Featured Maine Department of Health and Human Services Mary Mayhew trafficing Welfare
Previous ArticleNRCM is Ignoring the Will of Rural Mainers
Next Article Thousands of Mainers Could See Premium Increases over 40%
Department of Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services, under the leadership of Commissioner Ricker Hamilton, serves approximately one-third of the people of Maine. DHHS provides health care and social service support to children, families, the elderly, the disabled, people with mental illness or substance abuse issues and the poor.

Related Posts

Bangor-area Church Sues School Board for Religious Discrimination in Lease Rejection

May 31, 2023

Protest at Maine State House for Iraq War Veteran Killed in 2022 Memorial Day Shooting

May 31, 2023

Competitive Shooting Event to Raise More Than $75k for Travis Mills Foundation with USPSA Maine State Championship

May 31, 2023

Leave A Reply

Recent News

Bangor-area Church Sues School Board for Religious Discrimination in Lease Rejection

May 31, 2023

Protest at Maine State House for Iraq War Veteran Killed in 2022 Memorial Day Shooting

May 31, 2023

Competitive Shooting Event to Raise More Than $75k for Travis Mills Foundation with USPSA Maine State Championship

May 31, 2023

GOP Wants Limits on “Net Energy Billing” to Rein in Electricity Rates

May 31, 2023

N.H. Residents Fear Maine “Trans Sanctuary” Bill Will Harm Granite State Kids: WGME

May 31, 2023
Newsletter

News

  • News
  • Campaigns & Elections
  • Opinion & Commentary
  • Media Watch
  • Education
  • Media

Maine Wire

  • About the Maine Wire
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Commentary
  • Complaints
  • Maine Policy Institute

Resources

  • Maine Legislature
  • Legislation Finder
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Maine Wire TV

Facebook Twitter Instagram Steam RSS
  • Post Office Box 7829, Portland, Maine 04112

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Sign In or Register

Welcome Back!

Login below or Register Now.

Lost password?

Register Now!

Already registered? Login.

A password will be e-mailed to you.