Social Service Agencies: Expedite the Benefit Claims Process

Technology Provides Faster, More Accurate Claim of Benefits

The current benefit eligibility verification process is a daily burden for case workers and the beneficiaries they serve. So what if it were simplified? What if individuals didn’t have to spend time finding or requesting copies of paystubs, utility bills, etc. Or case workers didn’t have to sift through mountains of paper or different system applications to verify individuals?

A recent Equifax survey found that the majority of state benefit administrators know that the pay-stub route is ineffective and more than half (63%) say that improving program integrity is a top priority. This is an expensive problem for taxpayers too, as improper payments cost them more than $150 billion a year. And a whopping $80 billion is caused by verification inefficiencies.

There is a better way. Fortunately, states are meeting this growing need by moving toward a system-first verification approach. It provides a faster, more accurate claim of benefits, allowing case workers to focus on what matters most - the beneficiaries and serving them in their time of need. Learn more about this approach in:

•  "How a Systems-First Approach Can Improve Social Services While Reducing Fraud" published in the March edition of the New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) newsletter.

Equifax helps agencies embrace this system-first approach. We integrate our unique income and employment data sets with other sources, such as asset, property and incarceration data. As a result, we help agencies to quickly verify applicants and monitor beneficiaries’ life changes impacting eligibility. 

Learn more or request a savings assessment on automating eligibility verifications based on your organization’s specific requirements.