United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-11-02 monographic deposited born digital 61 p. GA 1.13:GAO-02-58 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-58 P0b002ee18038cbf9 f:d0258 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-58 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-58 GAO-02-58 Eligibility criteria Eligibility determinations Federal aid programs Food programs for children Health care programs Housing programs Interagency relations Public assistance programs Food Stamp Program HHS Child Care and Development Fund HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program HUD Low Rent Public Housing Program Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Other Written Product A02410

About 80 means-tested federal programs assisted low-income people in 1998. GAO reviewed 11 programs that assisted families and individuals with income, food, medical assistance, and housing. Despite substantial overlap in the populations they serve, the 11 programs varied significantly in their financial eligibility rules. At the most basic level, the dollar levels of the income limits--the maximum amounts of income an applicant can have and still be eligible for a program--vary across programs. Beyond this, there are differences related to detailed aspects of the income rules, such as whose income is counted and what types of income are counted or disregarded. The variations and complexity of the federal financial eligibility rules, along with other factors, have contributed to processes that are often duplicative and cumbersome for both caseworkers and applicants. Overall, federal, state, and local entities have made little progress in simplifying or coordinating eligibility determination processes. States realigned some of the financial rules, but only to a limited extent. Another approach uses computer systems to establish joint eligibility determination processes that a single caseworker can administer. Efforts to simplify or better coordinate eligibility determination processes confront many obstacles, including restrictive federal program statutes and regulations. In addition, program costs may rise if financial eligibility rules are changed. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-58/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-58.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-58/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-58.pdf GAO-02-58 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-58 Other Written Product GAO-02-58; Means-Tested Programs: Determining Financial Eligibility Is Cumbersome and Can Be Simplified; Eligibility criteria Eligibility determinations Federal aid programs Food programs for children Health care programs Housing programs Interagency relations Public assistance programs Food Stamp Program HHS Child Care and Development Fund HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program HUD Low Rent Public Housing Program Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Title 42 Section 9902 42 U.S.C. 9902 Public Law 92-603