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Ginger Zielinskie
Executive Director, Benefits Data Trust
April 19, 2012
Hearing on the Use of Technology
To Better Target Benefits and Eliminate Waste, Fraud and Abuse
Subcommittee on Human Resources
Committee on Ways and Means
U.S. House of Representatives
House Ways and Means Human Resources Sub-committee Hearing on Data Standardization
April 19, 2012
Mr. Davis, Mr. Doggett, members of the subcommittee: thank you for the opportunity to testify and thank you for your ongoing work in regards to the Standard Data Act.
My name is Ginger Zielinskie and I am the Executive Director of Benefits Data Trust, a national not-for-profit organization committed to transforming how people in need access public benefits. Over the past 6 years Benefits Data Trust has successfully completed over 280,000 benefit applications on behalf of people in need through the use of data-sharing strategies to target outreach and streamline benefits application assistance.
Maximizing private sector targeting and outreach strategies, Benefits Data Trust has been able to utilize more than twenty different targeted federal and state government agency data sources to conduct national, statewide and regionally based outreach to millions of low-income individuals.
We all know data-driven strategies can combat fraud and create efficiencies in the verification process. I would like to focus my comments on how and why, RIGHT NOW, without prohibitive investments in technology, data sharing can and should be used to increase access into public benefits for the people who need it most.
I. Data sharing strategies create vast opportunities to conduct cost-effective targeted outreach:
Example 1: In 2010, working with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, BDT identified 80,000 Unemployment Insurance exhaustees, or 99ers, who were likely eligible but not enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Together, the three entities developed a data share agreement and process to generate an automated file on a monthly basis of new exhaustees not currently enrolled in SNAP. Benefits Data Trust then conducts outreach:
Example 2: Beginning in 2006, working under contract as a prime outreach and enrollment agent for the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) PACE Program, Benefits Data Trust engaged in a targeted outreach project to increase access to the State Prescription Assistance Program, PACE. Throughout the project PDA developed a standardized process to share multiple data files across diverse agencies. The following data files have been utilized for PACE outreach:
Table A: Data List Sources |
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Pennsylvania Department of Welfare |
Pennsylvania Department of Revenue |
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |
Pennsylvania Department of Aging |
Medicare Part D Healthcare Companies |
Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) |
Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs |
Other Agencies |
The use of these lists has allowed BDT to complete over 144,000 PACE applications on behalf of low-income seniors in Pennsylvania.
II. Data sharing strategies can streamline the application processes and create express lane eligibility opportunities:
Under this project, Benefits Data Trust receives an automated monthly data file from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare of individuals who were recently enrolled in or re-certified for Medicaid. Since income, residency and citizenship were just verified by the department, an individual does not need to provide proof of these elements on their SNAP application.
III. A true person-centered approach providing comprehensive benefits application assistance is critical to maintaining program integrity and most cost-effectively assisting people in need access public benefits
IV. Increasing access to benefit programs for people that are eligible – especially seniors – helps individuals, strengthens local economies and reduces long-term national health care costs. Access to public benefits will:
V. Data driven strategies can cut outreach and application assistance costs by more than 70%.
Per Application Comparison of Outreach, Enrollment and Administrative Costs Associated with Select Benefits Programs
VI. There are several actions that the federal government can take to make it easier for government, businesses, and not-for-profits to utilize data sharing strategies: