Posted on 06/09/2016 7:02:22 PM PDT by blueyon
A letter sent by a Federal Communications Commission commissioner suggests that taxpayers are footing the bill for half a billion dollars in fraudulent "Obamaphone" subsidies.
Ajit Pai, the senior Republican commissioner at the FCC, says there may be as many as 4.2 million duplicate recipients of Lifeline Assistance subsidies, also known as the “Obamaphone” program.
In a letter to chief executive of Universal Services Administrative Company (USAC), Pai requests an audit of how carrier sub-contractors vet the applications for new subsidies. In the letter, first published by The Hill, Pai says that cell phone carriers may have bypassed a safeguard designed to prevent fraudulent claims.
The National Lifeline Assistance Database (NLAD) monitors recipients and allows the USAC to provide subsidies to one person in each qualifying household. But there is an exception for families that live as “Independent Economic Households” either in a homeless shelter or in a group home.
“Unfortunately, this well-natured exception to the override process appears to be undermining the one-per-household rule,” Pai said
(Excerpt) Read more at truthrevolt.org ...
Gimme dat!
http://www.obamaphone.com/obama-phone-eligibility
Who qualifies for an Obama Phone?
Not everyone qualifies for the Lifeline Assistance Obama Phone program. However, if you’re struggling financially, if you already participate in another state or federal assistance program, or if your income is low enough, you may be one of the fortunate ones who do.
It’s relatively quick and simple to determine if you are eligible for a free government cell phone and 250, 1000 or even unlimited monthly minutes and texts.
Please allow us to clear up one confusing issue. Although the Obama Phone program is sponsored by the federal government, it is regulated by the various state governments. That means the eligibility requirements are very similar — but not identical — from state-to-state. The companies offering the free phones, free minutes and free texts also vary from state-to-state as do the number of minutes and texts they may offer.
For example, you will be eligible in every state if you currently participate in federal assistance programs such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income. But in some statES you’ll also be eligible if you participate in certain state assistance programs (such as GAIN or CalWORKS in California, OK Sales Tax Relief or Head Start on tribal lands in Oklahoma, or MassHealth in Massachusetts). If you don’t qualify under any of the programs shown below, check with you state to see if it offers additional eligibility options.
Each state also determines the income level at which you will be eligible. For example, in most states, maximum allowable total household income is set at 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. But in other states, it is set at 150%. Believe it or not, an Hawaiian couple with six children can earn as much as $62,249 and still be eligible for an Obama Phone.
Get an Obama Phone because you participate in one of these federal or state assistance programs
Most people qualify for a Lifeline Assistance Obama Phone cell because they participate in a federal or state assistance program. Here is a brief description of the federal assistance programs found in every state. For more information or to find out if you qualify for one of these programs, just click on the name of the program.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP) – The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), previously called food stamps, provides financial assistance to low-income families and individuals to help with the high cost of groceries. It allows them to buy food at grocery stores, convenience stores, some farmers’ markets and some co-op food programs. (click here)
Medicaid – Medicaid, which began in 1965, is a government program designed to provide health care services to low income families and the elderly. Each state administers its own Medicaid program, but the federal government requires all states to cover certain mandatory health services. (click here)
National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program – Over 31.6 million children currently participate in the program, which is intended to provide balanced and nutritious lunches for children in the public school system. It also applies to non-profit private schools and residential child care facilities, and covers the cost of snacks in many aftercare programs. (click here)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federally funded program that is designed to provide income assistance to disabled individuals, disabled children and low-income elderly. (click here)
Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8) – The Housing Choice Vouchers program, commonly called Section 8, is a federally funded program that provides financial assistance for housing needs while still allowing families to choose where they live. It is available for low-income individuals and families, the elderly and the disabled. (click here)
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) – The Low Income Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded program that is designed to provide financial assistance to individuals to offset the cost of heating, cooling and other energy related costs. The program provides assistance for home energy bills, an energy crisis and for weatherization and energy-related minor home repairs. (click here)
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) – Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, more commonly called TANF, is a program that is run by each state using block grants that are provided by the federal government. It is available to low-income families with dependent children and for pregnant women who are in their last three months of pregnancy. (click here)
Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance – The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) General Assistance program provides assistance to federally recognized American Indians and Alaska native tribe members. It is designed to provide cash to participants which is to be used to meet the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, utilities and in some cases burial assistance. (click here)
Tribally-Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF) – Tribally-Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, also called TTANF, is a federally-funded assistance program that is almost identical to the standard Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The main difference is that it is available only to individuals who are members of a federally-recognized tribe, are American Indians or are Alaska Natives. (click here)
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) – The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) provides healthy foods to low income families and elderly who live on Indian reservations or who reside in designated areas near reservations in the State of Oklahoma. (Click here)
Get an Obama Phone because your total household income is low enough
You can qualify for an Obama Phone even if you do not participate in any of the government assistance programs discussed above — if your total household income is low enough.
Qualifying via total household income is a bit more complicated than qualifying by participating in other assistance programs — because you will be required to provide more documentation in order to prove your eligibility — but if that is your situation, we urge you to follow this route.
For more information on permissible income levels and other program rules in your state, click here.
Important Pages
Obama Phone News & Updates
What is the Obama Phone?
Who qualifies for an Obama Phone?
How to Get an Obama Phone?
Obamaphone Providers
Who Started the Obama Phone?
Lifeline Facts
Obama Phone FAQs
Discussion Forum / Q&A
Subsidized Internet Too
The FCC has also encouraged major internet providers to provide high-speed broadband to the very same people that qualify for the Obama Phone. Only $9.95 a month. There are cheap internet plans for both cable and DSL. To learn more please go to CheapInternet.com.
Actually, the Obamaphone lady has had a change of heart and has turned against Obola.
See minute mark 2:45
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dLZuKGTZlEY
Phones are the least of our worries.
They need a phone to get a job. I think the gov’t is paying about $10 a month for these.
Identify fraud and go after those people
Raise the import tariffs and brings jobs back to the U.S. And then for those that won’t go back to work, start doing interventions where it makes sense.
People who pay have a charge to subsidize this BS.
If even a small portion of them find work thanks to that phone, that is a lot of money we aren't having to pay out. And now they are paying taxes in. And soon will be paying their own surcharge.
But we are offshoring all of our jobs due to stupid trade policies. We need to restore the import tariffs, which will bring jobs back to the U.S.
Phone costs are little bitty.
Half a Billion is chump change.
Obama gets that ridiculous “Stimulus” Bill passed at a cost of ONE TRILLION DOLLARS that does nothing it promised and it is long forgotten.
Gee, sounds like Obamacare.
Because that would be raaaaacist!
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