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Release No. 0341.10
Contact:
USDA Office of Communications 202-720-4623
Printable version
USDA Awards States for Exceptional
Nutrition Assistance
Service and Program Integrity
National Payment Accuracy Rate
Reaches Historic High
WASHINGTON, June 24, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced
that USDA will award $30 million to selected states for their excellence in
administering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Fiscal
Year (FY) 2009. The national average level of program payment accuracy for FY
2009 is 95.64 percent, the sixth consecutive year the program has achieved a
historically high rate. For the second straight year, the national negative
error rate (a measure of denials, terminations and suspensions) also improved.
"Program integrity is critical as participation in SNAP continues to grow to
meet the nutrition needs of the most vulnerable Americans, and these results
deliver on President Obama's directive to decrease improper payments and protect
taxpayer dollars," said Secretary Vilsack. "We are improving the accuracy and
efficiency of program delivery while working to deliver on Obama administration
efforts to reduce hunger and improve nutrition for people across the country."
Under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, each state agency is responsible
for monitoring and improving its administration of SNAP, formerly known as the
Food Stamp Program. The SNAP quality control system determines the accuracy of
the eligibility decision and the benefits authorized.
Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services
said SNAP benefits are essential to the nutrition and well-being of one in eight
people in our Nation. "State governments know firsthand the urgent needs faced
by millions of Americans who are helped by these nutrition benefits, and the
awards announced today recognize their accuracy and the reviewed eligibility of
SNAP enrollees."
USDA awards $24 million among the states with the best and most improved
payment accuracy rates, while $6 million is awarded among the states with the
lowest and most improved negative error rates.
The following States will share $24 million for the best and most improved
payment error rates for FY 2009:
Best Payment Accuracy Rate
| Florida |
$7,754,744 |
| South Dakota |
$336,136 |
| Wisconsin |
$1,894,828 |
| Delaware |
$407,494 |
| Nebraska |
$538,955 |
| Washington |
$2,969,984 |
| Georgia |
$4,187,866 |
| Ohio |
$4,875,956 |
Most Improved Payment Accuracy Rate
Wisconsin (See above. A State cannot receive an award in both categories. If
a State qualifies for both, they will receive an award for best.)
| Maine |
$860,779 |
| Guam |
$173,258 |
The following States will share $6 million for the best and most improved
negative error rate for FY 2009:
Best Negative Error Rate
| Nebraska |
$312,031 |
| South Dakota |
$214,062 |
| New Hampshire |
$241,959 |
| Maine |
$467,482 |
Most Improved Negative Error Rate
| Florida |
$3,797,503 |
| Wisconsin |
$966,963 |
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service oversees the administration of 15 nutrition
assistance programs that touch the lives of one in four Americans over the
course of a year. The largest program, SNAP, puts healthy food on the table for
more than 40 million people each month, half of whom are children. President
Obama's executive order on improper payments was issued in November 2009 and
emphasizes the administration's interest in reducing payment errors in Federal
programs.
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Last modified:
11/27/2012
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