Industry Webinar. National Lifeline Accountability Database. Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Transcription

1 National Lifeline Accountability Database Industry Webinar Wednesday, October 29, 2014

2 Agenda Registration for webinars through the end of 2014 is now available on our website Topics by audience request Six questions submitted in advance Open Q&A

3 Question #1 Submitted in Advance Outage Notifications When there is a broad system outage, could you describe when (e.g., how widespread the outage needs to be, length in time) and by what means the outage will be communicated to the ETCs? On 10/17 I reported a problem with batch file processing in the portal and on 10/22 I reported what appeared to be a broader outage in which API and Portal returned a server error. I don t believe that public notifications were sent for either scenario. I d suggest that for ETC notification, the following is used NLAD Bulletin Banner in the NLAD Portal Banner on the USAC website

4 Question #1 Submitted in Advance ANSWER: For broad outages that affect multiple carriers, it is USAC s policy to send an NLAD bulletin and to also post notices on our NLAD web page. The outage reported on 10/17 did not affect the system widely, and for carriers that reported an issue, USAC reached out to the carriers directly, as is our normal practice for limited outages that affect only a limited number of users. Regarding the broad outage that occurred on 10/22, an NLAD Bulletin was sent out on 10/22 at 9:47 AM advising carriers that NLAD was experiencing intermittent issues. Another bulletin was sent out at 10:38 AM when all the issues were resolved. If you did not receive the Bulletin that was sent on 10/22 please visit the NLAD Bulletin subscription center to be added to the bulletin list. If you have any additional questions please us at NLADSupport@usac.org.

5 Question #2 Submitted in Advance Benefit Transfer Disputes Could you revisit the topic of Benefit Transfer disputes and discuss what will happen in the dispute investigation process? Our two biggest complaints are that (1) customer did not request a transfer and (2) customer does not know which other carrier could possibly claim them. Please cover (list on next slide):

6 Question #2 Submitted in Advance Benefit Transfer Disputes (Continued) a) What the process will be including expected SLA for a customer who does ask us to initiate a dispute for the transfer. (In July, we had sent over 100 disputes and it took nearly 3 months for the investigation to close. By that time, the customer was eligible to be transferred back. I am aware that USAC was waiting on a change to the letter being sent. So what is the process now?) b) How to direct a customer that does not know which other carrier could be claiming him c) How to direct a customer that does not know which other carrier could be claiming him and refuses to contact USAC or has no means to contact/be contacted by USAC d) Is USAC considering any alternate methods of dispute investigation, e.g., an IVR or text solution that will allow a customer to call and indicate that he shouldn t have been transferred so that he can return more immediately to his previous carrier?

7 Question #2 Submitted in Advance ANSWER: Please continue to send benefit transfer disputes to In order to expedite the process, please provide us with the customer s name, telephone number, your company s study area code, and the date of the benefit transfer (if known). In the subject line please use the subject Benefit Transfer Dispute. Upon receiving the benefit transfer disputes from the carrier, USAC will then contact the other carrier who transferred the benefit and request that they submit documentation within 10 days verifying that the subscriber consented to the transfer and enrollment with that carrier. If documentation is not provided within the deadline, USAC will send a notice to the carrier for de-enrollment. Once the de-enrollment has occurred, USAC will then send notice to the original carrier that the subscriber may be enrolled. We appreciate the feedback regarding improvement to the benefit transfer dispute resolution process and we will consider these suggestions as we move forward and consider any changes to the process.

8 Question #3 Submitted in Advance De-Enrolling Customers Identified as Interstate Duplicates The Interstate Duplicate Subscriber Process was announced in a bulletin on 10/23. After the maintenance is completed on 10/25 will carriers be able to access the records to de-enroll customers who have subsequently been disconnected from the carrier s Lifeline program since the initial upload in March? Currently carriers cannot view the subscriber phone number in NLAD either under the Update or De-Enroll functions for Duplicate Resolution.

9 Question #3 Submitted in Advance ANSWER: Carriers may access the Interstate Duplicate Subscriber records as they have now been moved into the Duplicate Subscriber Report in NLAD. All the affected subscribers are listed on the report, but, the telephone lookup feature is currently not available for these subscribers. Carriers will not be able to update or de-enroll these subscribers at this time; however, due to the low number of subscribers affected, the process for resolving these duplicates will be expedited. The duplicate resolution process will occur in the same manner as had occurred for the track 1 duplicate subscriber resolution process. Mailings will occur during the week of November 3, 2014.

10 Question #4 Submitted in Advance IEH Worksheet and Interstate Duplicate Subscriber Resolution It was my understanding that any subscriber pulling up on the duplicate address list (including the duplicate migration address subscribers) needed to be sent an IEH Household Worksheet. I do not have access to the duplicate migration address subscribers in NLAD so I just wanted to make sure that these subscribers would be taken care of in the Interstate Duplicate Subscriber Resolution process.

11 Question #4 Submitted in Advance ANSWER: Regarding the subscribers that are marked as Migration - Duplicate Address these subscribers are included in the Detail Duplicate Subscriber Report in NLAD. USAC is still currently reviewing processes for resolving these subscribers that are marked as Migration Duplicate Address. We will provide additional information as it becomes available via an NLAD Bulletin.

12 Question #5 Submitted in Advance Interstate Duplicate Subscriber Resolution Regarding the October 23 NLAD Bulletin announcing the interstate duplicate subscriber resolution process: Will this process follow the Track 1 example and give customers the ability to preempt the 35-day duplicate resolution process by contacting providers directly to request de-enrollment?

13 Question #5 Submitted in Advance ANSWER: The Interstate Duplicate resolution process will mirror the previous Track 1 process. Letters will be sent out to the affected subscribers who will then have 35 days to call a toll free number (duplicate resolution call center) to make a selection for a single Lifeline benefit. Carriers will not be able to update or de-enroll these subscribers at this time in NLAD; however, due to the low number of subscribers affected, the process for resolving these duplicates will be expedited. Mailings will occur during the week of November 3, 2014.

14 Question #6 Submitted in Advance Recertification Update Issues When will issue be resolved with errors we get when just trying to update a subscriber for recertification date. Sometimes I am just changing the recertification date and sometimes I need to make other changes.

15 Question #6 Submitted in Advance ANSWER: We are aware of this issue and our IT team is currently working on implementing a fix. We expect to have this issue resolved as part of the next release. In the meantime, please continue to flag these records and once the fix has been implemented, you will be allowed to make any necessary updates to the subscriber s records.