(1) When it is discovered that an administrative error resulted in an underpayment of LIEAP benefits, it may be corrected by increasing the benefit award to cover the underpayment.

(a) For purposes of determining financial eligibility, such retroactive corrective payments will not be considered as income.

(2) Except as provided in (3), current and future program year payments of LIEAP benefits will be reduced the full amount of prior overpayments, unless the administrative cost would exceed the amount of overpayment.

(a) Additionally, cases in which a person willfully made false statements or withheld information causing overpayment must be referred to the department's Human and Community Services Division (HCSD) to determine if the case should be forwarded to the department's Quality Assurance Division, Program Compliance Bureau (PCB) for determination of fraud as provided in ARM 37.70.110.

(3) When it is discovered that the local contractor caused an overpayment of LIEAP benefits, at the sole discretion of the department, the local contractor may be required to repay the entire overpayment to the department, rather than the overpayment being withheld from the household's future payments.