J.P. Morgan Plans To Support WIC Program Adopting EBT Cards For It

According to a new report by J.P. Morgan, the time has come for the federal government to support and invest in replacing paper based Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits with more effective benefits distribution via electronic benefit transfer (EBT)

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According to a new report by J.P. Morgan, the time has come for the federal government to support and invest in replacing paper-based Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits with more effective benefits distribution via electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. According to the report, EBT cards will improve benefit accountability, enhance program management, speed up WIC purchases in grocery checkout lanes, and over time deliver the kind of cost efficiencies that EBT made possible by replacing paper food stamps.

“EBT cards have completely replaced paper food stamps and most public assistance checks, but the WIC program has trailed others in this automation effort,” says Laurie Neill, managing director, Public Sector Solutions for J.P. Morgan. “While WIC is a highly regarded and successful program, it cannot move to a level of performance responsive to twenty-first century demands without a comprehensive strategy for national EBT.”

The report, titled “WIC EBT: The Future is Now”, details how moving from paper-based WIC benefits to EBT will improve all aspects of the program; outlines the steps that government should take to successfully convert WIC to EBT; and describes the funding, legislative and regulatory considerations involved in the process.

According to the report, replacing paper-based WIC benefits distribution with EBT cards has many advantages:

•For WIC mothers, EBT eliminates the stigma of using paper WIC checks or vouchers and allows them to redeem their benefits more securely and effectively;•For retailers, EBT reduces the time spent in-lane on WIC sales and in the back office managing WIC participation;•For state WIC agencies, EBT enhances program management and evaluation with streamlined payment processing, automated reporting and cost efficiencies;•For clinicians, EBT will produce real-time benefits redemption data useful in responding to participant needs and program management.

To request a free copy of the report, visit www.jpmorgan.com/info/wicebt.

D.C.

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