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statistics. Similarly, Alabama has also experienced a 74 percent decrease. The NAC partner states are leading the way and demonstrating the importance and value of sharing infor- mation for vetting public assistance applications nationwide. Beginning in 2015, other states began expressing interest in realizing their own returns by participating in the NAC solution. Each new state that joins will have to become contributing members of the consortium, but the more states and different programs that partici- pate, the more valuable the system becomes. States joining the NAC program will enter into an agreement to participate, pay an “up-front fee” to join and an annual fee thereafter, and be guided through a comprehensive onboarding process based on best- practice models identified from the existing five-state consortium. While the NAC is currently working to improve integrity in SNAP and D-SNAP, it has been undergoing devel- opment for use more broadly and has started receiving files from programs such as Medicaid, TANF, and CHIP— offering a ready design to aid these other HHS programs and provide sub- stantial savings. This holistic concept of a National Accuracy Clearinghouse is building upon the successes with SNAP and D-SNAP to provide a unified approach through identity-driven solutions to ensure the efficiency and sustain- ability of public assistance programs. In fact, the NAC invites states to work with the consortium states, FNS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and other relevant agencies to include additional programs in the solution, as well as additional identity verification and fraud prevention tools that can support their business processes. Combatting the Challenge The problem of dual participation in public assistance programs—whether accidental or intentional—drains critical resources. The NAC was created to combat this challenge. As

a contributory system of beneficiary information across states, it provides states with immediate and actionable identity intelligence with the goal of reducing duplicate benefit issuance and improving program access. By sharing information between states, it is easier to ensure that funds only go to eligible recipients. The hope is that this innovative solution will soon be providing value and intel- ligence nationwide to all HHS public assistance programs. The NAC, of course, will not resolve all fraud across all benefits programs, but it solidly addresses the key issue of dual participation. By protecting access and eligibility for legitimate applicants and participants, NAC is streamlining agency application process, increasing accuracy, and bringing benefits back to the citizens who need them most.

This holistic concept of a National Accuracy Clearinghouse is building upon the successeswith SNAP and D-SNAP to provide a unified approach through identity-driven solutions to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of public assistance programs.

Source: Public Consulting Group, National Accuracy Clearinghouse Evaluation Reports

Reference Note 1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/

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