https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Commentaries


Commentary

Using technology to create a space for better benefit program delivery

Using technology to create a space for better benefit program delivery

  • Written by Juan Cole
  • 4th September 2019

In a time where ‘instant’ is the norm, there is tremendous opportunity to improve the speed and efficiency of benefits programs. In fact, a recent survey conducted by Equifax found that 50% of benefit administrators say streamlining internal processes and efficiencies is a top priority for their departments.  Similarly, 63% of local government agencies would prioritize improvements to the integrity of their programs.

Enter technology.  A systems first approach can help county administrators accomplish both.  Consider that paper-based verification of benefit applications can hamper both speed to decision and customer service.  A paper process puts the burden of proof on the applicant, who is required to provide as many as 10 or more pieces of documentation for benefits in some states.   This can be tedious to collect and submit. Paper information, by nature is a less secure method which is not nearly as easy to compare over time or across jurisdictions.  With technology, decisions can be made faster and those that require more validation can be prioritized.

By leveraging the power of automated data insights, agencies can reduce the risk of improper payments and human error, while expediting approval of benefits. What’s more, time-consuming paperwork can be replaced with automation, relieving administrators of countless hours of working through potentially incomplete or illegible documents.  Automated systems and use of data from multiple, credible sources can help administrators streamline the eligibility verification process and more quickly provide insights on:

  1. Identity – Multiple data sources can be cross-referenced to help verify an applicant’s identity.
  2. Address – Inconsistent addresses or errors within provided addresses can be detected and verified for legitimacy and can help identify the latest address for applicants.
  3. Employment and Income – Data on past employment and income can help create an efficient road map to a candidate’s eligibility determination.
  4. Potential Duplicate Applications – Comparative data can be used to help flag when an applicant appears to have also requested benefits in another county or across state lines.
  5. Property Ownership and Assets – Data on property ownership and disclosed financial information can further validate an applicant’s eligibility for certain benefit programs.

Combining employment verification with other trusted data sources to confirm an applicant’s identity, residency and assets, agencies can almost entirely automate the eligibility verification process. In Florida, for example, the Department of Children and Families Office of Public Benefits Integrity realized more than $1 billion in cost avoidance after automating processes and creating a more nimble, responsive team. With connected technologies, city and county programs can reap similar benefits creating simpler pathways for citizens to receive benefits while lessening the burden on caseworkers.

Putting benefits processes in sync with the technology experiences and expectations of today’s digitally savvy citizens is a win-win for applicants and benefit administrators as it helps expedite the eligibility verification process to more efficiently and quickly deliver the right benefits to individuals and families in need within the right state or local jurisdiction.

 

Juan Cole is Vice President, Strategy and Solutions Consulting for Equifax Government Services. In this role, he works closely with government and industry partners to deploy data-driven solutions and trended data analysis that address the ever changing challenges faced by government clients. He leads a service architect team that supports clients in CMS SSA, and state healthcare government agencies to implement solutions that help mitigate risk, prevent improper payments, facilitate verifications, and improve program integrity.

Tags: Administration Smart Cities & Technology Commentaries Commentary

Most Recent


  • baseball
    Minor league baseball is helping cities hit a revitalization home run
    It’s that time of year again—the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd when the home team hits a home run, not to mention the peanuts, Cracker Jacks and hot dogs! Nothing compares to the fun of gameday at the stadium, enjoying the national pastime of baseball. Some mid-sized cities have taken the […]
  • MSPs
    The MSP downstream cyberthreat paradox: Understanding the city and county connection
    Recently the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) along with the FBI, NSA, and international cyber authorities issued a cybersecurity advisory aimed at protecting managed service providers (MSPs) and their customers. This high-level advisory has been gestating for some time ever since the SolarWinds and Kaseya supply chain cyber-attacks. A software supply chain attack occurs […]
  • Philanthropic group to launch assistance portal for local admins navigating federal bureaucracy
    A joint venture announced Tuesday by a group of philanthropic organizations—in collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities (NLC) and Results for America—seeks to help small and mid-sized communities secure their piece of the $550 billion in funding available for local governments navigating federal bureaucracy. The digital portal will launch […]
  • Report: Almost half of public sector retirees don't touch their retirement plans for a decade
    Once retired, nearly half of public sector employees aren’t taking any action with their defined contribution retirement plan funds for at least a decade, according to research from Mission Square Research Institute, which included the analysis of more than 100,000 public service data records. In their first ten years of retirement, researchers found that 48 […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • North Texas alliance partners with Marketplace.city on smart government solutions
  • Harris County deploys next-generation security in 150 public buildings
  • Prioritizing rapid restore leads to stronger ransomware attack recovery
  • Today’s infrastructure needs greater than roads and bridges - It’s time to face our digital connectiveness

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

Minor league baseball is helping cities hit a revitalization home run dlvr.it/SQc5N4

18th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council can help governments get up to speed on sustainable buys dlvr.it/SQbwqL

18th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

The MSP downstream cyberthreat paradox: Understanding the city and county connection dlvr.it/SQYVjs

17th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Philanthropic group to launch assistance portal for local admins navigating federal bureaucracy dlvr.it/SQY16G

17th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Report: Nearly 95 percent of America’s mayors face harassment, threats and violence dlvr.it/SQTn2z

16th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

The PIO’s Ultimate Guide to Social Media dlvr.it/SQTdCK

16th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Gain Greater Visibility Into Your Public Works Fleet dlvr.it/SQSqXG

16th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Report: Almost half of public sector retirees don’t touch their retirement plans for a decade dlvr.it/SQKMjp

13th May 2022

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X