This report from the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program outlines efforts to use identity verification to reduce improper payments in government programs, while mitigating bias and disparate impacts.
The Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP)
This report offers best practices for public agencies implementing digital identity verification, emphasizing privacy, equity, and security in the delivery of government services.
This introductory guide explains the core concepts of digital identity and how they apply to public benefits programs. This guide is the first part of a suite of voluntary resources from the BalanceID Project: Enabling Secure Access and Managing Risk in SNAP and Medicaid.
Created for use in the Digital Doorways research project, this design stimuli shows the steps of submitting an application, sharing personal information, and verifying identity for Massachusetts' online application for SNAP benefits.
Federal guidelines for digital identity services, outlining technical and procedural requirements for identity proofing, authentication, and federation.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Digital IDs can improve convenience, but they risk surveillance, data misuse, and exclusion if not designed with privacy, security, and accessibility safeguards.
Created for use in the Digital Doorways research project, this design stimuli shows the steps of submitting an application, sharing personal information, and verifying identity for Massachusetts' online application for Medicaid.
These recommendations outline privacy-focused guidelines for states adopting digital IDs, emphasizing protections against surveillance, ensuring equitable access, and maintaining control over personal data.
This page includes data and observations about authentication and identity proofing steps specifically for online applications that include MAGI Medicaid.
The vast fraud committed through the use of stolen and synthetic identities in UI programs has spotlighted the need for updated identity fraud detection mechanisms. As states are implementing new technologies and systems, they need to consider the ways in which they are impacting racial inequities in UI benefits.
Remote identify proofing is the process federal agencies and other entities use to verify that the individuals who apply online for benefits and services are who they claim to be. If the applicant responds correctly to personal questions, their identity is considered to be verified. However, data stolen in recent breaches could be used fraudulently to respond to knowledge-based verification questions. Alternative methods are available that provide stronger security, but these methods may have limitations in cost, convenience, technological maturity, and they may not be viable for all segments of the public.
