Success Stories and Examples of Savings using PARIS
The following success stories and examples can be used to show potential savings:
| Colorado | District Of Columbia | New York | North Carolina |
| Oklahoma | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | Tennessee |
| Washington | National Governor’s Association |
Colorado, a Smaller Demographic State, Uses PARIS Grant Award to Reduce Costs
Colorado is one of the States that was awarded a partnership grant from ACF in 2005 and simultaneously established a mentoring arrangement with the State of Utah.
For the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Quarters of 2006, Colorado has saved $250,065 at a cost of $6,268. This has resulted in $40 saved for EVERY dollar spent, a very impressive cost-benefit ratio. These numbers will increase for two reasons: we do not have 100% state-wide participation, yet; and we do not include Medicaid cases in the Interstate Match.
Although not all of Colorado’s 64 counties are participating, we have more than doubled the county PARIS participation in the last two months. The word is spreading throughout our counties about the tremendous benefit, so more and more counties are coming on board. Currently, we have 40% state-wide PARIS participation. If the rest of the counties have similar savings, then Colorado can potentially save an additional $375,000 once there is state-wide participation.
Our sister organization has finally approved adding Medicaid cases to the PARIS Interstate Match and this is being done for the May 2007 match. From the several states that have posted their Medicaid savings, we have calculated that 59% - 85% PARIS savings comes from Medicaid cases. For Colorado, 40% of our matches/hits come from the Interstate match: this percentage will probably increase once we add medical cases. By extrapolating these statistics, it means that Colorado could potentially save an additional $244,000 to $668,000 by including Medicaid cases in the PARIS Interstate match.
In summary, although it may take some time and patience to get all of our State counties ‘on-board’, as well as resolving all of the logistical ‘kinks’, there is a substantial cost benefit found in becoming a member State of the PARIS Project.
District Of Columbia Saves Millions with PARIS Hits
The District of Columbia has saved $4.7 million utilizing the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) since its inception in DC. This has been accomplished by matching District of Columbia Federal benefit data with other states twice a year. Each February and August we scrutinize the match for actual hits by requesting corroborating documentation from other states. Our neighboring states, Maryland and Virginia, supply 75% of the necessary documentation required to process these matches. The Interstate Match supplies customer information concerning the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Food Stamps programs, while the Veteran's and Federal Employee matches supply information concerning income received by our customers. Our savings delineated below are based on twelve month projections.
Interstate MatchAfter examining all possible hits from August 2000 through May 2003, we identified 2,060 TANF and Food Stamp households that possibly were receiving benefits in another state while also receiving benefits in the District of Columbia. These matches resulted in 1,375 case closures and 53 grant reductions. The resolution of these cases resulted in the identification of $1,093,824 in TANF and $1,023,110 in Food Stamp savings, plus $272,506 in TANF and $271,696 in Food Stamp overpayments.
Veteran's MatchThe Veteran's Benefit match is equally successful with 885 matches during the period August 2000 through May 2003. Sixty-five percent (65%) of the cases were recommended for corrective action including 97 closings and 378 grant changes. The resolution of these cases resulted in the identification of $32,640 in TANF and $1,477,764 in Food Stamp savings, plus $30,967 in TANF and $251, 347 in Food Stamp overpayments.
Federal Employee MatchThe Federal match results from August 2002 through May 2003 yielded 264 individuals on the Federal payroll while receiving benefits in the District of Columbia. Corrective action included 92 closings and 154 grant reductions. The resolution of these cases resulted in the identification of $121,812 in TANF and $130,884 in Food Stamp savings, plus $10,883 in TANF and $57,360 in Food Stamp overpayments.
SummaryThe use of the PARIS match is instrumental in saving the District of Columbia millions of dollars in future benefits and in recovering overpayments. This proven tool in combating fraud is a prudent and cost effective method for States to maximize the use of Federal and local dollars in improving the lives of their residents while saving taxpayer dollars.
New York State Reports Huge Savings From Using PARIS
New York State, in State Fiscal Year 2003 (April 2002 through March 2003) closed or removed from active public assistance cases 5,371 individuals identified on the PARIS Match.
The Cost Avoidance calculated by us for these individuals was in excess of forty million dollars ($40,365,504). Of this total $4,107,000 was saved in public assistance, $34,166,040 was saved in medical assistance ($23,448,756 in Medicaid only cases, $5,082,168 in SSI Medicaid, $5,637,116 in medical assistance in public assistance cases), and $2,091,564 in food stamp savings ($764,244 in food stamp only cases).
These savings are determined by dividing the yearly cost of each case type by the number of individuals in receipt of that type of benefit in a prior year. This number is divided by twelve to get a cost per month per case type. To calculate cost avoidance in the PARIS Match, we multiply the number of individuals whose cases are closed or removed from open cases times the cost avoidance per case type (above) times 12 to arrive at a yearly cost avoidance per match.
New York State, in State Fiscal Year 2004 (April 2003 through March 2004), closed or removed from active Public Assistance cases 8,047 individuals identified on the PARIS Match. The cost savings for these individuals was in excess of sixty-one million dollars ($61,469,352).
These savings are calculated by determining the average annual cost of an individual in each of the following case types - Federally funded TANF PA cases (which can include Medicaid and Food Stamps Benefits), New York funded Safety Net PA cases (which can include Medicaid and Food Stamps Benefits), Medicaid Only cases, SSI-related Medicaid cases, and FS Only cases. We track the number of individuals closed by the PARIS Match for each of these case types. To obtain an annual cost savings for each case type, we simply multiply the number of closed individuals by the annual average cost savings for that case type.
The breakdown of State Fiscal Year 2004 annual cost savings is as follows: $12,980,376 was saved in Public Assistance (includes Food Stamps and Medicaid Benefits issued through Public Assistance cases) (includes TANF and NY Safety Net case types), $39,742,404 in Medicaid Only cases, $7,714,056 in SSI Medicaid cases, and $1,032,516 in Food Stamps Only cases.
New York State, in State Fiscal Year 2005 (April 2004 through March 2005), closed or removed from active
Public Assistance cases 6,516 individuals identified on the
PARIS Match. The cost savings for these individuals was in excess
of forty-four million dollars ($44,659,368).
These savings are calculated by determining the average annual
cost of an individual in each of the following case types -
Federally funded TANF PA cases (which can include Medicaid and
Food Stamps Benefits), New York funded Safety Net PA cases (which
can include Medicaid and Food Stamps Benefits), Medicaid Only
cases, SSI-related Medicaid cases, and FS Only cases. We track
the number of individuals closed by the PARIS Match for each
of these case types. To obtain an annual cost savings for each
case type, we simply multiply the number of closed individuals
by the annual average cost savings for that case type. The sum
of those calculations is the total annual savings for the fiscal
year - over $44,000,000.
The breakdown of last year's annual cost savings is as follows:
$13,969,176 was saved in Public Assistance (includes Food Stamps
and Medicaid Benefits issued through Public Assistance cases)
(includes TANF and NY Safety Net case types), $23,965,104 in
Medicaid Only cases, $5,343,984 in SSI Medicaid cases, and $1,381,104
in Food Stamps Only cases.
New York State, in State Fiscal Year 2006 (April 2006 through March 2007), closed or removed from active Public Assistance cases 6,396 individuals identified on the PARIS Match. The cost savings for these individuals was in excess of forty-five million dollars ($45,644,400).
These savings are calculated by determining the average annual cost of an individual in each of the following case types - Federally funded TANF PA cases (which can include Medicaid and Food Stamps Benefits), New York funded Safety Net PA cases (which can include Medicaid and Food Stamps Benefits), Medicaid Only cases, and FS Only cases. We track the number of individuals closed by the PARIS Match for each of these case types. To obtain an annual cost savings for each case type, we simply multiply the number of closed individuals by the annual average cost savings for that case type. The sum of those calculations is the total annual savings for the fiscal year - over $45,000,000.
The breakdown of last year's annual cost savings is as follows: $24,601,116 was saved in Public Assistance (includes Food Stamps and Medicaid Benefits issued through Public Assistance cases) (includes TANF and NY Safety Net case types), $16,078,944 in Medicaid Only cases*, and $4,964,340 in Food Stamps Only cases.
*Beginning with the 12/18/06 PARIS Match, New York no longer provides cost avoidance figures for MA Only matches. MA Only matches are sent to the Department of Health and they are responsible for reporting any cost savings. Any MA Only cases from prior matches, are still include in our cost avoidance calculations. In addition, we no longer supply cost avoidance figures for MA-SSI cases.
New York State, in State Fiscal Year 2007 (April 2007 through March 2008), closed or removed from active Public Assistance cases 6370 individuals identified on the PARIS Match. The cost savings for these individuals was in excess of forty-five million dollars ($40,821,780).
These savings are calculated by determining the average annual cost of an individual in each of the following case types - Federally funded TANF PA cases (which can include Medicaid and Food Stamps Benefits), New York funded Safety Net PA cases (which can include Medicaid and Food Stamps Benefits), and FS Only cases. We track the number of individuals closed by the PARIS Match for each of these case types. To obtain an annual cost savings for each case type, we simply multiply the number of closed individuals by the annual average cost savings for that case type. The sum of those calculations is the total annual savings for the fiscal year - over $40,000,000.
The breakdown of last year's annual cost savings is as follows: $32,156,172 was saved in Public Assistance (includes Food Stamps and Medicaid Benefits issued through Public Assistance cases) (includes TANF and NY Safety Net case types), and $8,665,608 in Food Stamps Only cases.
*Beginning with the 12/18/06 PARIS Match, New York no longer provides cost avoidance figures for MA Only matches. MA Only matches are sent to the Department of Health and they are responsible for reporting any cost savings. In addition, we no longer supply cost avoidance figures for MA-SSI cases.
North Carolina Reports Savings With PARIS
Interstate and VA Match - Savings In North Carolina for Calendar Year 2002
Interstate Match
- Number of Hits: 11388
- Number of Individuals Closed: 0
- Number of Benefit Reductions: 0
Dollar Savings
- Medicaid $18,923.07
- Food Stamps $63,120.00
- TANF $4,297.75
NOTE: The dollar amounts above are from reports generated from fraud Cost Collections reports for calendar year 2002. We do not have records of the number of individuals closed due to the interstate match report. The assumption is that all of the individuals that appear on the report are resolved to determine whether or not they are actually in NC.
VA Match- Number of Hits: 12348
- Number of Individuals Closed: 83
- Number of Benefit Reductions: 189
Dollar Savings
- Medicaid $178,800.00
- Food Stamps $10,303.40
- TANF $52.00
NOTE: Only about 30% of the 100 county departments of social services report terminations and benefit changes from the VA Match report. Based on this NC realized the above savings for calendar year 2002.
- Total Combined Savings: $275,496.22
- Total Combined Costs: $28,896.60
- Total Savings: $246,600.22
Costs: System costs were estimated at $1,204.00 for a 12-month period. Staff time was estimated at $27,692.00.
Oklahoma Uses PARIS for Cost Avoidance
Oklahoma Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General (OKDHS/OIG) was awarded a state partnership grant for implementation of PARIS in late 2005. Oklahoma was mentored by Utah Department of Work Force Services in this effort and participated in their first match in November 2005.
The project’s goal was to improve program integrity by revealing individuals who are not reporting or under reporting receipt of Federal wages or VA benefits and those illegally receiving benefits from more than one state provider. OKDHS did not have access to such information prior to the award and implementation of PARIS. Oklahoma’s Office of Inspector General was assigned the responsibility of data match analysis and distribution.
As a result of participation in PARIS during calendar year 2006, OKDHS identified 3,236 discrepant cases and realized $779,349 in cost avoidance in the main programs it administers. In addition, OIG identified for recovery over $70,000 in overpayments and expects to recover more from additional overpayment cases already identified. OKDHS passed the one million dollar mark in cost avoidance and the $250,000 mark of overpayments early in their second year of participation in PARIS.
With respect to Food Stamps, on March 31, 2006 the State reviewed information from a PARIS interstate data exchange match on a recipient that appeared to travel from State to State to obtain food stamp benefits ($152.00 a month in each State) using the same Social Security Number (SSN). The PARIS match was with the States of Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee and Mississippi with indications of concurrent receipt of food stamps in these four states and Oklahoma.
In less than a couple of hours, we used the information the recipient had provided (an Arkansas state issued identification card (REAL ID)), tracked his food stamp usage, talked to our neighboring social service agencies and were able to also identify concurrent receipt in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana for a total of 8 states with dual receipt. All the States are current members of PARIS except Texas.
With the information from PARIS, we were quickly able to determine this recipient's travels from state to state as follows by using certification dates available from the PARIS match:
- MISSOURI 9-12-05
- OKLAHOMA 9-16-05
- TEXAS 9-19-05 (and again on 1-24-06)
- TENNESSEE 9-29-05
- ILLINOIS 10-17-05
- LOUISIANA 10-31-05
- ARKANSAS 11-17-05
- MISSISSIPPI 12-28-05
OIG was nominated for and received a “Quality Award 2007” for the PARIS project from the OKDHS. This award came with a $2,000 stipend which will be used to send an additional individual to the next PARIS national conference.
Pennsylvania Reaps Huge Rewards From PARIS
Pennsylvania has participated in the PARIS Interstate and VA Matches since their inception. The results speak for themselves:
- As of May 2008 - $67,105,882 in annualized savings from 33 Interstate Matches. From these matches, 58,330 cases were worked resulting in 12,612 individuals being removed from cases.
- As of May 2008 - $27,877,420 in annualized savings from 9 VA Matches. From these matches, 40,769 cases were worked resulting in 4,448 cases closed or benefits reduced.
Total annualized savings due to PARIS: $94,983,302.
Rhode Island PARIS Savings
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in square miles in the USA and ranks 43rd when it comes to population, but look at their success in utilizing the PARIS project. Rhode Island has realized a savings of $631,353 by participating in the May, August and November 2005 PARIS Interstate match. This breaks down into the following categories:
- $289,824 saved from the May 2005 match
- $145,764 saved from the August 2005 match
- $195,765 saved from the November 2005 match.
The largest savings was obtained from the Medical Assistance program ($375,360) followed by TANF ($127,105) and Food Stamps ($128,888). The cost savings for TANF and Food Stamp cases is determined by multiplying the monthly benefit amount per case times 12 months for an annual dollar savings. The Medical Assistance amount is the average cost per case multiplied by twelve months.
Tennessee Reports Substantial Savings in Using PARIS Once!
Based on the August 2003 PARIS match, Program Integrity identified, validated and recommended termination of 1,113 TNCare recipients. We have projected savings of approximately $2 million dollar savings over a 12 month period. The PARIS Project has been very helpful to our State.
Washington State Uses PARIS to Achieve Substantial Savings
Veteran Benefit Enhancement Project FY08 Half Yearly Progress from PARIS VA/Federal Match Data
VA Monthly $ Benefit Enhancement
(PARIS VA and Federal File Related Areas)
The Veteran’s (VA) Benefit Enhancement Project (VBE) is the result of a partnership between the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the Washington State Department of Veteran’s Affairs (WDVA). Together, the partnership identifies and facilitates veterans and their dependents, who are receiving state social and health services, to access the maximum federal benefits for which they are eligible. The project has facilitated increased benefits for thousands of Medicaid clients. This has resulted in reduced DSHS expenditures and a savings to Washington State. Aside from the Medicaid savings, the focus of the partnership is outreach, enrollment and advocacy of VA/military related benefits to expand the number of Medicaid clients that are eligible for VA and military related benefits and enhance the benefits for those not receiving their maximum entitlement.
The DSHS VA Benefit Enhancement Project uses Department of Defense and Veteran’s Administration data from the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) to identify DSHS clients who are veterans and the potentially eligible survivors who may qualify for federal benefits. The DSHS Veteran Project team refers clients who may be eligible for VA benefits or potentially eligible for increased VA entitlements to the WDVA. The WDVA team reviews the referred DSHS clients to determine the possible eligibility for an initial benefit clam and for eligibility of an increase in their current monthly entitlement. The initial target is the Medicaid population receiving long term care related services. These Medicaid clients are subject to estate recovery for all of their Medicaid long term care related services. Additionally, the WDVA recently released data that suggested that 50% of all males 65 years of age and older are veterans.
In the recent FY08 (Half-Yearly Report) Update, the project reported the following:
• The project has facilitated cash monthly benefit enhancements for 745 Medicaid veteran related clients;
• This has generated a six month savings of $1,143,166.00 in cost avoidance dollars;
• The project has facilitated 1,582 TRICARE/CHAMPVA enrollments (Utilizing PARIS Federal File);
• This has generated a six month savings of $964,812.69;
• The project has enrolled 1,459 Medicaid veterans into the VA Healthcare System;
• The project has been able to facilitate total VA care for 25 Medicaid veterans;
• The total six month cost avoidance savings is $2,107,979.00. The 12 month legislative savings target is $2,295.000;
• In the first 6 months of FY08, PARIS data identified 559 Medicaid clients that warranted a Veteran’s referral for increased benefit enhancement;
• 342 new, project related claims were developed and submitted in the 1st two quarters by the WDVA to the VA Regional Office;
• 678 previously submitted project related claims are currently awaiting adjudication in the VA Regional Office;
• The WDVA reports that $501,227.00 in monthly Federal revenue has been generated by the project in the first two quarters of FY08;
Other specific project objectives:
• Improve outreach to the general public regarding veteran’s benefits; educate veterans and dependents about the availability and eligibility requirements for veterans and military related benefits;
• Improve data sharing between agencies who have common objectives and who share similar client caseloads;
• Determine the need of educating DSHS field staff about the multitude of benefits available to certain veteran population groups (veterans with service connected disabilities and those eligible for and not receiving Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits);
• Streamline the identification and communication of federal benefits for veterans who are currently receiving state social and health services;
• Connect veterans who are receiving social and health services, to richer federal benefits to minimize the impact of estate recovery for veterans who qualify for federal medical and health care coverage.
Veteran Benefit Enhancement Project FY05/FY06 from PARIS VA Match
VA Monthly $ Benefit Enhancement
(PARIS VA File Related Areas)
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has developed a partnership with the Washington State Veteran’s Affairs (WDVA) through two (2) performance based contracts, which measure savings resulting from VA benefits and ensure sustainability. The focus of these contracts are outreach, enrollment and advocacy of VA benefits to expand the number of Medicaid clients receiving VA benefits and maximize the VA benefits to which they are entitled.
One contract between DSHS and the WDVA addresses the need to review current VA benefits for Medicaid recipients and facilitate the enhancement of benefits for clients not receiving maximum entitlement.
When a potential benefit increase, identified utilizing PARIS match data, appears warranted, a “Veteran Referral” is completed/sent to the WDVA. The WDVA initiates the process of increasing the entitlements. For the majority of these clients, WDVA acts in the legal capacity of Client Representative. This authorizes WDVA staff to represent the claimant throughout the VA Adjudication process. Enhancements are developed and processed more expeditiously in this manner.
451 - Total number of Medicaid long term care related clients that received project facilitated VA monthly benefit enhancement. Breakdown are as follows:
- 134 - Total number enhanced in FY05;
- 193 - Total number enhanced in FY06;
- 124 - Total number enhanced in 1st Two Qtrs FY
- $ 194,705.59 - FY05 DSHS Net $ Savings for Benefit Enhancement;
- $ 788,868.86 - FY06 DSHS Net $ Savings for Benefit Enhancement;
- $1,452,485.48 - FY07 Projected DSHS Net $ Savings for Benefit Enhancement;
DSHS net savings reflects the actual reduction in DSHS expenditures as a result of the increased VA monthly benefit enhancement
- $1,590,353.47 - VA retroactive $ payments to 451 project facilitated clients*
- $124,792.91 - VA monthly $ amount for 451 LTC clients prior to enhancement;
- $353,897.00 - VA monthly $ amount for 451 project enhanced LTC clients;
- $229,104.09 - VA monthly $ amount increase for 451 project enhanced clients;
- $2,749,249.00 - VA yearly $ amount increase for 451 project enhanced clients
* Project doesn’t count retroactive $ amount as savings due to policy treatment of these lump sums
Aid and Attendance
Many veterans and survivors of veterans receive monthly payments from Veterans Affairs (VA). Some of these recipients who need the regular assistance of a caregiver receive an increased amount from VA. This additional amount, added to the regular payment amount, is known as an aid and attendance (A&A) allowance. According to 20 CFR 416.1103, VA allowances for aid and attendance may not be considered income for eligibility purposes.
However, CMS has recognized the aid and attendance allowances from VA payments as third party payments to be applied toward the cost of Medicaid long term care services when paying claims for long term care services. [see Estate of Krueger v. Richland County, Civil No. 940128 (N.D. 1994)] A person is considered to be in need of aid and attendance if the person “is (1) a patient in a nursing home or (2) helpless or blind, or so nearly helpless or blind as to need or require the regular aid and attendance of another person”. 38 U.S.C. 1115(1)(E), 1311(c), 1315(g), 1502(b). See also 38 C.F.R. 3.351(b) and (c). Additionally, Veterans Affairs have established regulations to determine the need for an aid an attendance allowance, which include but are not limited to: living in a nursing home, “inability of claimant to dress or undress”, and having an “incapacity, physical or mental, which requires care and assistance on a regular basis”. See 38 C.F.R. 3.351(c)(2) and 3.352(a). Under the third-party liability payment scheme, a "third party" is broadly defined as "any individual, entity or program that is or may be liable to pay all or part of the expenditures for medical assistance furnished under a State plan." See 42 C.F.R. 433.136(3). The court in Krueger ruled that
“aid and attendance allowances…are provided based on an assessment of the veteran's physical and medical need for them and, when the veteran is in need of, and in fact does receive, nursing home care, that care substitutes for the purpose for which the aid and attendance allowance was designed. When a veteran is in a nursing home, the aid and attendance allowance is paid to cover the exact same services being paid for by the Medicaid program.”
Effective August 2004, the State of Washington implemented a policy change to treat aid and attendance payments to long term care Medicaid recipients as a third-party resource. While aid and attendance is not considered income when determining eligibility and client participation for long term care services, the portion of VA benefit constituting an A&A allowance is applied to offset and reduce the state payment for long term care services provided to a recipient of VA aid and attendance.
The PARIS VA match offers a data field that verifies whether a client is receiving the Aid and Attendance benefit. The savings below reflects those associated with the correct identification of the clients receiving this benefit and the amount specifically attributed to the Aid and Attendance for each recipient:
$2,007,590.04 – FY05 $ Savings attributed to project discovered/facilitated policy change;
$2,195,508.30 – FY06 $ Savings attributed to project discovered/facilitated policy change;
PARIS/ Eligibility System Comparison
$202,259.99 - $ Savings from one quarterly PARIS data match of under/unreported VA income amounts compared to those coded in the eligibility system (Attributed to small, random (100 cases) sample of Long Term Care/GA cases)
VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
All veterans are potentially eligible for VA medical care, but the project effort focuses on veterans who are receiving aid and attendance allowance or service-connected compensation at a 50% disability rating or higher. These veterans need not obtain a prescription from a VA doctor to receive drugs and medicines from VA, but can have their own doctor provide a prescription to the VA pharmacy. See 38 USC 17.1712(d).
844 – Total number of VA Healthcare System Enrollments;
628 – Total number enrolled in FY05;
216 – Total number enrolled in FY06;
DSHS Project Team Veteran Referrals
*2,213 – Number of veteran referrals generated as a result of four quarterly PARIS matches. The referrals generated as a result of PARIS include:
- Vets/spouses receiving $90 per month benefit (VA amount eligible for while in a nursing home) that are no longer in a NH (they’ve been upgraded to an assisted living facility or at home services and entitled to reinstatement to their regular monthly benefit amount;
- Vets and spouses that, per PARIS, are not receiving the increased Aid and Attendance benefit (see above description) and likely eligible for it (long term care related cases);
- Vets that PARIS reflects are 100% service connected disabled and are receiving Medicaid. (these vets are eligible for full VA coverage and should not be Medicaid related);
- Vets/spouses that PARIS reflect receiving 0 per month benefits (many of these were reduced for failure to turn in the yearly review sent by the VA). Many elderly long term care related clients overlook this form and the need to complete/mail back;
- Vets that PARIS reflects being a minimum of 50% service connected disabled. They are eligible for VA Rx w/o the required VA doctor authorization.
The above clients are referred to the Washington Department of Veteran Affairs (utilizing a state “Veteran Referral”) for potential/likely facilitation of the enhancement of their benefits
- Virtually all of the above project related savings were a result from the referrals generated by the PARIS quarterly matches
Veteran Benefit Enhancement Project FY05/FY06 from Military Related Third Party Enrollments in PARIS Federal Match
Active-duty military members, military retirees, and in certain cases, military reservists are eligible for TRICARE health insurance. Family members, surviving spouses and surviving unmarried children are normally also eligible for TRICARE.
It is important to recognize that the PARIS Federal File identifies only the primary recipient of military benefits; it does not list spouses and other family members associated with that individual who may (also) be receiving state medical assistance. Some TRICARE-eligible military personnel identified by the PARIS Federal File are not recipients of state medical assistance (i.e., some are non-applying or ineligible spouses / parents of recipients). In other cases, the TRICARE-eligible individual is receiving state medical assistance together with a spouse and/or other family members.
For these reasons, a complete list of state medical recipients associated with the TRICARE beneficiary / sponsor must be compiled, to ascertain which clients need Third Party Liability profiles updated. The following represent the military related third party enrollments that were initialized by the project team utilizing the PARIS Federal file:
930 – Total Number of project facilitated military related third party enrollments (TRICARE/CHAMPVA) primarily attributed to initial identification within the PARIS Federal file;
205 - Total numbers that were enrolled in FY05;
725 - Total numbers that were enrolled in FY06;
$690,506.16 – FY05 Cost avoidance $ savings (verified in MMIS System);
$420,799.04 – FY06 Cost avoidance $ savings (verified in MMIS System)
National Governor’s Association and NGA Center for Best Practices
10/28/2004
Washington System Connects Veterans with Benefits, Saves
Revenue
Contact: Brendan
Krause
Health Division
A Washington state project aimed at connecting veterans with entitled benefits could save the state more than $22 million in Medicaid and other costs, according to state officials. The project created the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) - a pool of data from participating states and the federal government that helps veterans get the benefits they deserve and prevents clients from drawing duplicate benefits from two states. The project has been credited with saving more than $1 million for state taxpayers already, and it could save the state more than $22 million. The project has identified more than 3,000 veterans who need assistance.
PARIS has the potential to save more for both the State of Washington and other states that choose to join the pool to share information about benefits provided to their citizens. As other states join, data matches are run against their beneficiaries to be certain that beneficiaries are not currently enrolled in multiple states' programs. Such systems could be particularly beneficial to neighboring states as beneficiaries might change state residences long before public programs discover this change.