Sec. 43a.

(1) As used in this section:

(a) “Overpayment” means the difference between the amount of assistance to which an individual is entitled under this act and the amount of assistance actually received by that individual.

(b) “Public assistance recipient” means an individual who is receiving, or who did receive, assistance under this act.

(2) The state department shall take all necessary steps to recover an overpayment made to a public assistance recipient, including, but not limited to, administrative action or action in a court of competent jurisdiction. Procedures for the recovery of overpayments made under federally assisted programs shall be consistent with federal law and regulations.

(3) This section does not limit or prevent the criminal prosecution of an individual who has received an overpayment as a result of fraud or other criminal act.

(4) In the case of an individual who is no longer a public assistance recipient, the state department may waive recovery of an overpayment if the cost of recovery is equal to or greater than the amount of the overpayment or if the error was made by the department. Except as prohibited by federal law or regulation, the state department may waive recovery of an overpayment if the recovery would result in undue hardship to the public assistance recipient, as determined by the state department.

(5) The state department shall report annually to the legislature on the cost effectiveness of the recovery of overpayments described in this section.

History: Add. 1993, Act 41, Imd. Eff. May 27, 1993 Popular Name: Act 280