Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 93.djvu/423

 PUBLIC LAW 96-58—AUG. 14, 1979

93 STAT. 391

policies (excluding the costs of health and accident or income maintenance policies), (5) medicare premiums related to coverage under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, (6) dentures, hearing aids, and 42 USC 1395. prosthetics (including the costs of securing and maintaining a seeing eye dog), (7) eye glasses prescribed by a physician skilled in eye disease or by an optometrist, (8) reasonable costs of transportation necessary to secure medical treatment or services, and (9) maintaining an attendant, homemaker, home health aide, housekeeper, or child care services due to age, infirmity, or illness.". PROVISION OF INFORMATION

SEC. 4. Section 16 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 is amended by 7 USC 2025. adding at the end thereof a new subsection (f) as follows: "(f) The Secretary and State agencies may (1) require, as a condition of eligibility for participation in the food stamp program, that each household member furnish to the State agency their social security account number (or numbers, if they have more than one number), and (2) use such account numbers in the administration of the food stamp program. The Secretary and State agencies shall have access to the information regarding individual food stamp program applicants and participants who receive benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act that has been provided to the Secretary of 42 USC 1381. Health, Education, and Welfare, but only to the extent that the Secretary and the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare determine necessary for purposes of determining or auditing a household's eligibility to receive assistance or the amount thereof under the food stamp program, or verifying information related thereto.". REPAYMENT FOR FRAUDULENT CONDUCT

SEC. 5. Section 6(b) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 is amended by 7 USC 2015. adding at the end thereof two new sentences as follows: "After any specified period of disqualification pursuant to findings under clauses (1) or (2) of this subsection, no disqualified individual shall be eligible to participate in the food stamp program unless such individual agrees to (A) a reduction in the allotment of the household of which such individual is a member or (B) to repayment in cash, in accordance with a reasonable schedule as determined by the Secretary that will be sufficient over time to reimburse the Federal Government for the value of the coupons obtained through the fraudulent conduct. If any disqualified individual elects repayment in cash under the provisions of the preceding sentence and fails to make payments in accordance with the schedule determined by the Secretary, the household of which such individual is a member shall be subject to appropriate allotment reductions.". STATE SHARE OF RECOVERIES

SEC. 6. Section 16(a) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 is amended by 7 USC 2025. inserting before the period at the end thereof the following: ", as well as to permit each State to retain 50 per centum of the value of all funds or allotments recovered or collected through prosecutions or other State activities directed against individuals who fraudulently obtain allotments as determined in accordance with this Act. The officials responsible for making determinations of fraud under this Act shall not receive or benefit from revenues retained by the State under the provisions of this subsection".

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