Making Lifeline a Snap For Eligible Households

Although Lifeline eligibility is now linked directly to the Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program, Lifeline has adopted none of the technology advances designed to make it both consumer and provider-friendly.  If the Lifeline program is to play a bigger role in addressing the well-documented internet usage gaps for low-income Americans, the program must be modernized. In a modernized Lifeline program, eligible households would apply to the National Verifier and get a Lifeline Benefit Card in the mail.  Loaded (and reloaded) with the monthly benefit amount, the Lifeline Benefit Card accounts would function like the millions of prepaid cards, health savings account cards, or merchant gift cards already in common use.  Lifeline customers could use their Benefit Card account to help pay for broadband services from any participating provider.  Any amount owed in excess of the Lifeline benefit would be the consumer’s direct responsibility.