Completion and publication of 2006 UI Benefit Accuracy Measurement data

UIPL10-07_508.pdf (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/UIPL/2007/UIPL10-07_508.pdf)

                                                      CLASSIFICATION
                                                        UI
     EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
   ADMINISTRATION ADVISORY SYSTEM                     CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
               U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
                    Washington, D.C. 20210              OWS/DPM

                                                      DATE
                                                      February 16, 2007



ADVISORY:         UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 10-07

TO:               STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES

FROM:             EMILY STOVER DeROCCO /s/
                  Assistant Secretary

SUBJECT:          Procedures for the Completion and Publication of Unemployment
                  Insurance (UI) Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Data for
                  Calendar Year (CY) 2006


1. Purpose. To provide State Workforce Agencies with guidelines and key dates for
   the completion of CY 2006 UI BAM paid and denied claims sample cases and the
   publication of CY 2006 BAM data.

2. References. Benefit Accuracy Measurement State Operations Handbook (ET
   Handbook No. 395, 4th edition), 20 CFR 602, Unemployment Insurance Program
   Letter (UIPL) No. 17-05, and UIPL No. 19-96.

3. Completion of CY 2006 BAM Cases. Chapter VI of ET Handbook No. 395 requires
   that “a minimum of 98 percent of cases for the year must be completed within 120
   days of the ending date of the Calendar Year.” All published BAM data will be
   based on CY 2006 BAM paid and denied claims cases that have been signed off by
   the BAM supervisor by the date of record -- close of business (c.o.b.) April 30, 2007.




 RESCISSIONS                                          EXPIRATION DATE
 None                                                 March 31, 2008


   Changes to the state’s database subsequent to the date of record can result in
   inconsistencies with the Department of Labor’s (DOL) database that must be
   reconciled before BAM data can be published. States must not reopen any CY 2006
   BAM cases after April 30, 2007, until they have reviewed the BAM data transmitted
   to them by DOL and have confirmed that these data agree with the BAM paid and
   denied claims accuracy data produced by the state’s database. Procedures for
   resolving differences between DOL and state BAM data are discussed in section 4.

4. Transmittal of Data and Comment Period. The DOL National Office will produce
   and transmit to each state by May 14, 2007, paid and denied claims accuracy data,
   based on the CY 2006 BAM cases as of c.o.b. April 30, 2007. States are encouraged to
   run the BAM paid claims Annual Report, denied claims Error Rates Report, and
   Improper Denials Rates Report software and compare the results with the rates and
   report footnotes DOL transmits to them for comment prior to publication. Prior to
   the date of record, DOL will transmit a footnote lookup table for the CY 2006 BAM
   paid claims Annual Report, denied claims Error Rates Report, and Improper Denials
   Rates Report. Facsimiles of these reports, report definitions, and report footnotes are
   available in UIPL No. 17-05, Attachments 1 and 2.

   States should report any discrepancies or submit questions concerning the BAM
   paid and denied claims data and footnotes to the National Office, with a copy to the
   appropriate Regional Administrator by June 1, 2007. Comments should be sent to
   Andrew Spisak by e-mail ([email protected]), fax (202-693-3975), or mail:

          Andrew Spisak
          U. S. Department of Labor
          ETA / Office of Workforce Security
          200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S-4522
          Washington, DC 20210

   National and Regional Office staff will address and reconcile issues raised by the
   states by June 15, 2007.

5. Federal Publication of BAM Data. DOL will publish a CY 2006 BAM analytical
   report on the ETA Web site: http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov. States should
   refer to the CY 2005 analytical report, which is available at:
   http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/bam/2005/bam-cy2005.asp, for
   the types of analyses that will be included in the CY 2006 publication. DOL will also
   publish on the ETA Web site a compendium of all states' CY 2006 BAM paid and


   denied claims data as part of the UI Performs Annual Report. UI Performs is DOL’s
   performance measurement system for the UI program.
   If a state fails to follow the BAM methodology regarding sample selection, data
   collection, or case completion timeliness prescribed in ET Handbook No. 395 to such
   an extent that the data are not reliable, DOL will publish an explanation of the major
   deficiencies in lieu of BAM data for that state. States must address these deficiencies
   through the State Quality Service Plan process.

   Although UIPL No. 19-96 announced the elimination of the requirement in 20 CFR
   602.21(g) that states release BAM data publicly, states may choose to release their
   BAM data to the public independent of the Federal release.

6. Key Dates. The following key dates for the public release of CY 2006 BAM data are
   the latest that the task or action must be completed.

   4/13/07 States submit requests for waivers of BAM paid and denied claims
           timeliness requirements, along with supporting documentation, to the
           appropriate ETA Regional Administrator.

   4/20/07 Regional Offices respond to states on the disposition of state requests for
           waivers of BAM timeliness requirements.

   4/27/07 The National Office electronically transmits the footnote lookup table for
           the BAM paid and denied claims software to each state's Sun computer.

   4/30/07 Each state checks its UI database to: 1) ensure that the BAM supervisor
           has signed off all BAM paid and denied claims cases which the
           investigators have completed, and 2) reopen any case in order to update
           information or correct any data errors. Cases closed by supervisors after
           April 30, 2007, will not be included in the paid claims Annual Report or
           the DCA Error Rates and Improper Denials Rates Reports. States must
           not reopen any CY 2006 cases after April 30, 2007, until they have
           reviewed the BAM data transmitted by the National Office and verified
           the data against their state database or reconciled any differences with
           DOL.

   5/14/07 The National Office transmits the CY 2006 BAM data to the state
           administrators.


     6/01/07 States review BAM paid and denied claims accuracy data and footnotes,
             and report any discrepancies or submit questions concerning the BAM
             data or footnotes to the National Office (to the attention of Andrew
             Spisak, as discussed in section 4), with copies to the appropriate ETA
             Regional Administrator.

     6/15/07 National and Regional Office staff address issues raised by the states and
             reconcile any differences between state and DOL BAM data.

     6/15/07 States provide the name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address
             of the contact person (or persons) for public inquiries concerning BAM
             paid and denied claims data. This information should be sent to the
             attention of Andrew Spisak at the address, e-mail address, or fax provided
             in section 4, with copies to the appropriate ETA Regional Administrator.

     8/31/07 DOL publishes the CY 2006 BAM data on the ETA Web site:
             http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov.

7. Action. State Administrators are requested to:

        a. Provide copies of these guidelines to the appropriate staff;

        b. Send any request for a waiver of BAM timeliness requirements to the
           appropriate ETA Regional Administrator by c.o.b. April 13, 2007; and

        c. Ensure that the National Office (to the attention of Andrew Spisak, as
           discussed in section 4) and the appropriate ETA Regional Administrator are:
           1) notified by June 1, 2007, of any issues that require the reconciliation of
           differences between the state’s and DOL’s BAM data; and 2) provided by
           June 15, 2007, with the name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address
           of the person(s) whom interested parties may contact with questions or
           inquiries about the state's BAM data.

8.      Inquiries. Questions should be directed to the appropriate Regional Office.