Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 340 - Department of Human Services › Chapter 20 - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) › Subchapter 1 - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program › Section 340:20-1-14 - Actions, method of payment, and notifications

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
Contingent upon the receipt of federal funding, submitted
				  Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) applications are approved or
				  denied, payments are issued, and households are notified of their eligibility
				  during winter heating, summer cooling, and Energy Crisis Assistance Program
				  (ECAP) application periods.
(1)
Households pre-authorized for LIHEAP.
Selected households may be
				pre-authorized for winter heating or summer cooling and sent a
				pre-authorization notice prior to an open application period.
(A) Households are pre-approved for LIHEAP
				per criteria in Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC)
				340:20-1-19 for
				winter heating and OAC
				340:20-1-20 for
				summer cooling.
(B) The
				pre-authorization notice informs the household:
(i) of the utility supplier and the account
				name and number Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) intends to pay based on the
				prior year's certification; and
(ii) to report correct information to OKDHS
				within 10-calendar days of the pre-authorization notice date, when the utility
				supplier or account name or number is different. When the household reports
				correct information after this date, the household must apply during the open
				enrollment period as pre-authorization information can no longer be corrected.
(C) When the household
				reports that the pre-authorization information on the notice is incorrect
				within 10-calendar days of the pre-authorization notice date, the household
				must provide correct information to determine if the household meets
				preauthorization criteria.
(i) When the
				household reports that the utility supplier changed to a supplier that does not
				participate in LIHEAP, staff explains that OKDHS cannot pay the supplier based
				on pre-authorization information and encourages the household to file an
				application during the open enrollment period.
(ii) When the household reports a different
				account number with the same utility provider, staff asks for the address and
				the account name and number on the utility bill.
(I) When the address is the same as the OKDHS
				address of record and the account holder is a household member,
				pre-authorization information is updated.
(II) When the address is different, the
				household must provide a document that verifies the household lives at the new
				address, such as a lease agreement or other document showing a household
				member's name and the new address, within 10-calendar days of the date on the
				notice.
(III) When the account
				number changed because the account name changed to another household member who
				is included in another Adult and Family Services (AFS) benefit using the same
				case number, the preauthorization information is updated.
(IV) When the account name is different and
				the person is not included as a household member in another AFS benefit using
				the same case number, the household must verify the account holder has a
				separate address or provide income or resource information for the account
				holder before preauthorization information is changed. When the person lives in
				the home, the pre-authorization is closed and the household must apply during
				the open enrollment period.
(D) Households are not pre-authorized for
				ECAP.