For decades, our public assistance programs have focused on helping low-income Americans find employment, slowly phasing out benefits as they get back on their feet. But today, some people lose benefits too soon and end up in a situation where…
We will all be grateful when we can safely put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. But, behind the sigh of relief many of us will feel, there will be millions of Americans who stand to lose the healthcare coverage they…
For decades, our public assistance programs have focused on helping low-income Americans find employment, slowly phasing out benefits as they get back on their feet. But today, some people lose benefits too soon and end up in a situation where…
A recent estimate from Bloomberg Businessweek found that 9 million Americans lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic, and were unable to get Unemployment Insurance: “…at least 9 million Americans thrown out of work by the pandemic who…
“The Time Tax.” That’s what Annie Lowery called the burdens that safety net programs like food stamps and unemployment benefits place on the most vulnerable Americans in her recent piece in The Atlantic. CAMI has frequently called out the inefficiencies…
Americans in need can’t wait. They need Congress to act! Following up on the release of its 2021 legislative priorities, the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) penned a letter to Congress this week calling urgently for the extension…
Stan Soloway | Originally posted on Government Executive One of President Biden’s first actions following his inauguration was to issue an executive order requiring that the minimum wage paid by government contractors be at least $15 per hour. While it…
The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), which represents all 50 state workforce agencies, D.C. and U.S. territories, recently released its 2021 legislative priorities. Among the 2021 priorities is extending state staffing flexibility for the continued operation of Unemployment…
By: Former Congressman John Faso, Senior Advisor to the Center for Accountability, Modernization, and Innovation (CAMI) The United States is getting back to normal. Restaurants are reopening, mask mandates for the fully vaccinated are falling by the wayside, and employers…
Stan Soloway | Originally posted on the American Public Human Services Association Americans are finally starting to see there may be a light at the end of the tunnel after a long year of grappling with the impact of the…
How do you get free school meals to students who are now learning at home? Should we enable community leaders to take a leading role in public assistance programs? Are there ways we can modernize resources and streamline processes to…
Recently, people across the country have been focused on one thing – The American Rescue Plan. The latest episode of our podcast dives into this enormous new stimulus bill and relief package and how we can ensure program benefits actually…
Congress passes many laws; but the law enacted most often is the “law of unintended consequences.” In just one example: unemployment insurance legislation in the COVID relief package that is currently making its way through Congress through the process of…
Why do we make poor people work so hard to prove they are poor? Why is it so hard for a nursing home employee who works with the elderly every day to get a coronavirus vaccine? Is the government providing…
By John Faso & Russell Sykes | Originally published in Morning Consult The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed large gaps in America’s social safety net. President Joe Biden has focused on speeding up vaccine delivery to the states and has ordered…
Americans are struggling to get help. But it doesn’t need to be this way As part of its series of reports on the hunger crisis and growing food insecurity in America, NBC News on February 2, 2021 highlighted some of…
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn have been felt in every state across the country. While unemployment benefits and stimulus checks are being vigorously debated in Washington, D.C., the nation’s food security challenges continue to worsen as…
After a year of trials and tribulations as Americans have grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, the development and approval of vaccines have provided fresh confidence and represent the first step in returning back to “normal.” We now have two vaccines…
Food banks from coast to coast have written to CAMI stressing the need for common-sense flexibility for states to administer their food stamp programs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic: KAC (Wisconsin), Sister Carmen Community Center (Colorado), New York Common…
As we continue responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s imperative that we break down barriers to public services for the people who need them most. In the second episode of our new podcast, People First: Improving Government Services to the…
26 million now say they don’t have enough to eat, as the pandemic worsens and holidays near.
During the current pandemic, some three dozen states have taken advantage of program flexibilities authorized as part of the national pandemic relief.
Are you curious about how COVID-19 is impacting government assistance programs like SNAP and Medicaid? Do you think these programs would work better if they were updated and utilized new approaches to handle increased demand? In the inaugural episode of…
By Former Congressman John Faso | There is encouraging news on the development of vaccines to beat the coronavirus. No fewer than four vaccine candidates are in advanced clinical trials. Major pharmaceutical companies such as Astra Zeneca and Moderna are…
COVID-19 has fundamentally altered American life and exposed longstanding deficiencies in our public benefit systems. As part of our partnership with Families USA and the National Center for Coverage Innovation, CAMI supported an in-depth analysis of how we can achieve…
Congressman John Faso | NY Daily News The Daily News’ front page this week said it all: “Hunger Pains,” describing how city food pantries were preparing for a potential second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The same story is being told…
By Angela Rachidi American Enterprise Institute Human service agencies across the country are grappling with increased demand for their services. At the same time, these agencies are trying to adapt their business models to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Recently, I spoke…
From its inception, CAMI has advocated for smart, innovative, accountable and modern solutions to improve government programs and benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting increased demand for government services has only further demonstrated the need for a new approach.…
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant health and financial insecurity for millions of Americans. The incredible economic stress, coupled with anxiety around the health and safety of our friends and family, has made it difficult for families to cope. Chief…
Stan Soloway | Government Executive In the midst of a crisis, USDA policies make it nearly impossible for states to deal with the surging need for food assistance. Two months ago, I wrote in this space about the current pandemic’s…
By Former Rep. John Faso and Stan Soloway America’s Poor School Children Need a Replacement for School Meals: New pandemic benefits are only as good as states’ ability to deliver them. And when it comes to food security, enormous gaps…
John Faso | RealClear Policy Public health authorities have said that an essential part of the effort to contain coronavirus outbreaks is to institute a system of contact tracing across the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and others recommend…
Dear Administrator Verma: The Center for Accountability, Modernization, and Innovation (CAMI) is a nonprofit organization that promotes innovative solutions to public policy challenges. CAMI is pleased to submit comments on the “Medicaid Program; Preadmission Screening and Resident Review” proposed rule…
We live in unprecedented times. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States earlier this year, more than 60,000 people have died from the virus, almost 30 million have filed unemployment claims just over the last six weeks, and the country as a whole is attempting to learn how to carry ...
Stan Soloway joined the podcast to explain how the pandemic is an opportunity for legislation modernizing some aspects of government. The coronavirus crisis has upended American life, with the federal government and state governments responding with various levels of efficacy.…
The COVID-19 crisis presents an opportunity to put in place solutions that will benefit us all, now and in the future. Across the spectrum of relief and stimulus initiatives, many of them federally funded and state administered, antiquated technology and…
We are going to see billions of dollars in new contract spending for both surge and ongoing requirements. Some 15 years ago, the Professional Services Council and the Army Materiel Command teamed up on a joint “lessons learned” exercise focused…
Dear Secretary Perdue: The Center for Accountability, Modernization, and Innovation (CAMI) is a nonprofit organization that was created to promote innovative solutions to public policy challenges. As the entire nation is grappling with the significant challenges associated with the novel…
Dear Secretary Azar: The Center for Accountability, Modernization, and Innovation (CAMI) is a nonprofit organization that was created to promote innovative solutions to public policy challenges. As the entire nation is grappling with the significant challenges associated with the novel…
Dear Secretary Scalia: The Center for Accountability, Modernization, and Innovation (CAMI) is a nonprofit organization that was created to promote innovative solutions to public policy challenges. As the entire nation is grappling with the significant challenges associated with the novel…
Dear Administrator Verma: The Center for Accountability, Modernization, and Innovation (CAMI) is a nonprofit organization that promotes innovative solutions to public policy challenges. The Center is pleased to submit comments on the proposed “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS…
Dear SSA Office of Retirement and Disability Policy: The Center for Accountability, Modernization, and Innovation (CAMI) is a nonprofit organization that promotes innovation solutions to public policy challenges. The Center is pleased to submit comments on the proposed “Rules Regarding…