Amendment ID: H3452-15-R1

Redraft Amendment 15

Benefit Eligibility Verification Integrity

Mr. Tarr moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section__, the following new Section:-

Section_ . Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, to the maximum extent permitted by federal law, all applicants and recipients of MassHealth, as defined in section 9A of chapter 118E, shall have their income, asset, and identity verified by a computerized integrated eligibility system that meets all applicable federal and state privacy and security requirements, to acquire, assimilate and utilize data necessary to verify income, assets, and identity when determining an applicant’s eligibility for assistance, prior to the distribution of benefits and during eligibility reviews, in order to eliminate the duplication of assistance and deter fraud.

The verification system shall include a statewide document imaging system to track applicant and recipient eligibility documents, including the costs of ensuring said documents are properly categorized and accessible in a secure centralized location.

Prior to awarding, continuing, or reissuing MassHealth assistance, t the integrated eligibility system shall be used to match the social security number of each applicant for or recipient of Masshealth against, at minimum, information provided by the following public records data sources:

(1) a nationwide public records data source of physical asset ownership such as real property, automobiles, watercraft, aircraft and luxury vehicles;

(2) the department of revenue;

(3) undisclosed depository account information and account balances of disclosed accounts at national and local financial institutions;

(4) a nationwide public records data source of incarcerated individuals;

(5) outstanding default or arrest warrant information maintained by the criminal history systems board, the criminal justice information system, and the warrant management system;

(6) a nationwide best-address and driver's license data source to verify individuals are residents of the commonwealth;

(7) the registry of motor vehicles;

(8) the department of elementary and secondary education;

(9) a comprehensive public records database that identifies potential identity fraud or identity theft that can closely associate name, social security number, date of birth, phone and address information; and

(10) a database which is substantially similar to or a successor of a database mentioned in this section.             

Prior to awarding, continuing, or reissuing public assistance, MassHealth shall  use the integrated eligibility system to match the social security number of each applicant and recipient of public assistance against information provided by the following data sources, to the extent such data sources are available:

(1) unearned income information maintained by the Internal Revenue Service;

(2) employer quarterly reports of income and unemployment insurance payment information maintained by the department of labor and workforce development;

(3) earned income information maintained by the Social Security Administration;

(4) immigration status information maintained by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services;

(5) death register information maintained by the Social Security Administration;

(6) prisoner information maintained by the Social Security Administration;

(7) public housing and Section 8 Housing Assistance payment information maintained by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Massachusetts public housing authorities;

(8) national fleeing felon information maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation;

(9) wage reporting and similar information maintained by states contiguous to this State;

(10) beneficiary records and earnings information maintained by the Social Security Administration in its Beneficiary and Earnings Data Exchange (BENDEX) database;

(11) earnings and pension information maintained by the Social Security Administration in its Beneficiary Earnings Exchange Record System (BEERS) database;

(12) employment information maintained by the department of labor and workforce development and the department of unemployment assistance;

(13) employment information maintained by the United States Department of Health and Human Services in its National Directory of New Hires database;

(14) supplemental Security Income information maintained by the Social Security Administration in its SSI State Data Exchange (SDX) database;

(15) workers compensation information maintained by the department of industrial accidents;

(16) veterans’ benefits information maintained by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Massachusetts department of health and human services and department of veterans’ affairs, in the federal Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) database;

(17) child care services information maintained by the department of children and families;

(18) utility payments information maintained by the department of housing and community development under the low income home energy assistance program;

(19) emergency utility payment information maintained by local cities and towns or councils on aging;

(20) a database of all persons who currently hold a license, permit, or certificate from a State agency the cost of which exceeds $1,000; and

(21) a database which is substantially similar to or a successor of a database mentioned in this section.