SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Lifeline program provides support for discounted broadband and voice services to low-income consumers. Lifeline is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under FCC direction. Consumers qualify for Lifeline through proof of income or participation in a qualifying program, such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal Public Housing Assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, or various Tribal-specific federal assistance programs.

In a Report and Order adopted on March 31, 2016, (81 FR 33026, May 24, 2016) ( 2016 Lifeline Modernization Order), the Commission ordered USAC to create a National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (“National Verifier”), including the National Lifeline Eligibility Database (LED), that would match data about Lifeline applicants and subscribers with other data sources to verify the eligibility of an applicant or subscriber. The Commission found that the National Verifier would reduce compliance costs for Lifeline service providers, improve service for Lifeline subscribers, and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the program.

Participating Agencies

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source agency); Federal Communications Commission (recipient agency) and Universal Service Administrative Company.

Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

The authority to conduct the matching program for the FCC's Lifeline program is 47 U.S.C. 254(a) through (c), and (j).

Purpose(s)

The purpose of this new matching agreement is to verify the eligibility of applicants and subscribers to Lifeline and other Federal programs that use qualification for Lifeline as an eligibility criterion. This new agreement will permit eligibility verification for the Lifeline program by checking an applicant's/subscriber's participation in SNAP in Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Under FCC rules, consumers receiving these benefits qualify for Lifeline discounts. ( printed page 51492)

Categories of Individuals

The categories of individuals whose information is involved in the matching program include, but are not limited to, those individuals who have applied for Lifeline; are currently receiving Lifeline; are individuals who enable another individual in their household to qualify for Lifeline; are minors whose status qualifies a parent or guardian for Lifeline; or are individuals who have received Lifeline.

Categories of Records

The categories of records involved in the matching program include the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security Number, date of birth, first and last name. The National Verifier will transfer these data elements to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services which will respond either “yes” or “no” that the individual is enrolled in a qualifying assistance program: SNAP administered by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

System(s) of Records

The records shared as part of this matching program reside in the Lifeline system of records, FCC/WCB-1, Lifeline, which was published in the Federal Register at 91 FR 9251 (Feb. 25, 2026).

91 FR 51491