Lifeline National Verifier Progress Presented by: Allison Baker, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lifeline National Verifier Progress

Presented by: Allison Baker, Michelle Garber, and Allison Jones

SHLB Universal Service Symposium November 2nd, 2017

The opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the presenters and do not necessarily represent the positions of the Federal Communications Commission or the United States Government.

Background: National Verifier

• In March 2016, the FCC decided to establish a National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier

(National Verifier) to conduct subscriber eligibility verification

• Shifts responsibility from service providers to USAC, the program’s administrator
• Primary objectives:
• Protect against and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse
• Lower costs to the Universal Service Fund and service providers through administrative efficiencies
• Better service eligible consumers by facilitating choice and improving the enrollment experience
• USAC, under the oversight of the FCC, is tasked with developing and implementing the

National Verifier, and meeting the benchmarks set in the 2016 Order:

At least 5 states

By December 31, 2017:

At least 25 states

By December 31, 2018:

All states and territories

By December 31, 2019:

Key Milestones

• Announcement of the six initial states on August 31: Colorado,

Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming

• Launch timeline:
• Soft launch in December 2017
• Allow service providers time to become familiar with the system and adjust their

businesses processes

• Service providers can choose to use the National Verifier or continue to use their existing

processes for enrolling consumers

• Hard launch in March 2018
• Service providers in the initial states will be required to rely on the system and all

eligibility determinations and recertifications will be conducted by the National Verifier

• Consumers will be able to verify their eligibility directly with the National Verifier

National Verifier System Components

Lifeline Eligibility Database (LED)

• Eligibility engine that

will query data sources and store results

• Queue applications

that require manual review

• Web portal for

checking eligibility National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD)

• Database of all enrolled

Lifeline subscribers

• Services to:
• Check for duplicate

subscribers

• Verify identities
• Validate addresses

Lifeline Support Center

• Conduct manual

reviews

• Provide customer

support through call center (agents, IVR)

• Receive and process

mail

Data Sources

• USAC and the FCC have signed agreements with the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development

(HUD), Colorado, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Utah

• Eligibility for consumers in Montana and Wyoming will be checked against automated federal

data sources first and then manually reviewed by the Lifeline Support Center

• USAC and the FCC continue to work toward agreements with federal agencies to verify

participation in Medicaid and Veterans Pension benefit, and income-based eligibility

• Continuing to work with additional states for a launch in the second quarter of 2018

State Automated Data Sources All Federal Public Housing Assistance Colorado SNAP and Medicaid Mississippi SNAP New Mexico SNAP and Medicaid Utah SNAP and Medicaid

Manual Review

• Where data sources cannot validate a consumer’s identity, the consumer

will have the option to provide documentation for National Verifier Review

• This process refers only to re-verification and applications for Lifeline. Recertification

does not require the review of eligibility documentation.

• Documents uploaded through the web portal will typically be reviewed

within minutes. Exceptions include:

• Documents uploaded outside of the business hours of 9am – 9pm ET (7 days per

week), which will be reviewed when business hours resume

• Documents that are not within the established set of acceptable documents on

USAC’s website (available by mid-November), which may take longer to evaluate

• Documents may also be submitted via mail

Reverification

• During the soft launch period, existing Lifeline subscribers in initial launch states

will have their eligibility reverified

• The reverification process will take place in a few different phases depending on

the date the subscriber initiated their Lifeline service

• Each consumer will be checked against the available eligibility databases, and will also

undergo checks for identity verification, address validation, and duplicate subscriber

• If a consumer cannot be automatically reverified, service providers will need to supply

current documentation (if the service provider already has it on file) or reach out to the consumer for new documentation and submit that to USAC

• When a consumer cannot be reverified automatically or through documentation, they will be

deemed ineligible and will be de-enrolled from NLAD

• For more info on reverification, visit

http://www.usac.org/li/tools/national-verifier/migration.aspx

Log into SP account Complete application

Service Provider Assistance

• 1. Identity
• 2. Address
• 3.

Duplicates

• 4.

Eligibility

NV System Checks

Manual review

(if required) Upload Documents

Enroll in NLAD

Claim Subscriber

National Verifier Application Process

Create account Complete application

Web Portal Consumer Application

• 1. Identity
• 2. Address
• 3.

Duplicates

• 4. Eligibility

NV System Checks

Manual review

(if required) Upload Documents

Choose a provider SP will claim in NLAD

Enroll with Service Provider

Consumers and Service Providers also have the option to submit applications and documentation via mail to the Lifeline Support Center

Recertification

• The National Verifier will assume responsibility for annual recertification,

due for each existing subscriber by the anniversary of his or her enrollment

• Each consumer will be checked against the available data sources
• If the check is successful, the recertification process will be complete
• If the check is unsuccessful, the National Verifier will notify consumers and, if they

disagree with the result, they may submit a self-certification by phone, mail, or through the web portal

• USAC will make reports available to service providers to monitor

recertification activity for their subscribers

Training Information

• Online Courses

Live webinars held for service providers in initial launch states October 25 through November 16 (recordings available afterward)

• Additional materials available at soft launch: How-To Guides, Videos, FAQs
• Visit our training page at http://www.usac.org/li/about/outreach/default.aspx

Introductory Detailed Overview

• High-Level System Overview

& Reverification Plan

• System Navigation
• Eligibility
• Document upload
• Benefit Transfer and Recertification
• Reports

Other Resources

• General Lifeline Program Resources
• Website: http://www.usac.org/li/
• General Customer Service: (888) 641-8722
• Service Provider Support:
• Website: https://www.usac.org/li/telecom.aspx
• Email: LifelineProgram@usac.org
• Consumer Support:
• Website: http://www.lifelinesupport.org/
• Email: Lifelinesupport@usac.org
• Consumer Call Center: (800) 234-9473

Thank you!

Allison Baker – allison.baker@fcc.gov Allison Jones – allison.jones@fcc.gov Michelle Garber – michelle.garber@usac.org