The Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS): A Time For Reform?

PURPOSES

The purposes of this study are to (1) synthesize the findings and recommendations of several recent reports examining the implementation of Income and Eligibility Verification Systems (IEVS) by the States, and (2) offer conclusions for Federal officials and others considering future directions for IEVS.

BACKGROUND

Since the mid-1980's, the Federal government has required each State to have an IEVS. The purpose of an IEVS is to reduce waste, abuse, and costs in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Food Stamps, and Medicaid programs. An IEVS is a system, usually automated, for matching financial information received from public assistance clients with information in certain Federal and State data bases. It helps States identify those who are ineligible or who receive incorrect benefit payments because their incomes or resources exceed allowable limits. In recent years, several Federal agencies and a national organization representing State welfare agencies have examined aspects of States' implementation of IEVS. At the request of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency, we have analyzed the reports of these 10 studies. We supplemented this analysis with discussions with Federal and State welfare officials concerned with IEVS. This report provides a synthesis of the studies' findings and recommendations. A detailed summary of the studies appears as appendix A of this report.