eWIC: FROM THE LOCAL
AGENCY PERSPECTIVE
A Presentation to Minnesota WIC Local Agencies
Introduction
2

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About MAXIMUS

Provides eWIC planning and technical assistance

More than 15 years experience with eWIC

Provided planning support to more than 30 WIC State
Agencies
MAXIMUS’ role in the Minnesota eWIC project

Assisting in planning and analysis activities for eWIC

Supporting development of required documentation for USDA
and eWIC procurement

Providing technical assistance as needed
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Purpose of this Presentation
3



eWIC is coming, there is a mandate that all WIC
State Agencies convert to eWIC issuance by 2020
MN WIC is currently in the planning phase of the
eWIC project
This presentation provides high level information
for stakeholders about how eWIC works for
informational purposes
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Overview
4

Background and History

Basics

Technologies

Clinic Activities

In the Store

Benefits and Challenges
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
5
eWIC Background and History
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
e-WIC History
6
Year(s)
Milestone
1995
2002
First smartcard e-WIC pilot in Wyoming
Wyoming is first statewide smartcard e-WIC system
2004-09 Texas and New Mexico rollout smartcard e-WIC
2005
Online e-WIC pilots implemented Michigan and
Washington
2006
2009
2010
Kentucky begins development of an online system
Michigan, first statewide online WIC EBT system
Congress mandates e-WIC by 2020
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
2020 e-WIC Mandate
7
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
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Requires e-WIC implementation, cannot be waived
unless significant hardship demonstrated
FNS is supporting the mandate with
implementation grant funds
FNS funding has been available, but is not
guaranteed and is dependent on the FNS budget
approved by Congress
Because of mandate there has been significant eWIC activity by State Agencies
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
State Agencies Operating e-WIC
8
Smart Card

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Cherokee
Isleta
New Mexico
Ohio (Pilot)
Texas
Wyoming
Online
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eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Chickasaw Nation
Florida
Kentucky
Massachusetts
Michigan
Nevada
Virginia
Wisconsin (Pilot)
West Virginia
MN e-WIC Activity
9
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In 2005, MN made strategic decision to replace
MIS
Assessed WIC clinic telecommunications
capabilities to ensure capacity for an online WIC
MIS
HuBERT, an e-WIC ready MIS, was implemented
Have attended national EBT conferences and
onsite demonstrations (TX, KY, MI)
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
MN e-WIC Activity
10
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Held discussions with MN SNAP and MN Grocers
Association
Developed a comprehensive Universal Product Code
(UPC) database of WIC foods
Have reviewed existing HuBERT e-WIC functionality in
test environment
Currently participating in the SPIRIT Users Group EBT
Task Force defining the business requirements for the
Universal Interface that will be implemented in
HuBERT
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
11
e-WIC Basics
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Paper vs. eWIC: Issuance
12
Paper System


eWIC
Food items, sizes and
quantities are printed on a
paper check

Checks are issued to each
participant within a household

Food items are represented in
an account, using a coding
system of food categories,
and total amount available
for each food category
Participant benefits are
combined into one household
account
=
=
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Food Categorization
13

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Foods are represented by codes for:

Category (Cat)

Subcategory (Subcat)
Cat is the high level food group, examples:

Low Fat/Fat Free Milk

Legumes (Beans)
Subcat is the specific food within a the Cat group, examples:

Skim milk; powdered milk; lactose free milk

Peanut butter; dry beans/peas; canned beans
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Food Categorization
14

In addition, each subcat is associated
with a Unit of Measure (UOM):
 Gallon
(GAL)
 Container
(CTR)
 Ounce
(OZ)
 Pound
(LB)
 Dozen
(DOZ)
 Can
(CAN)
 Etc.
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Benefit Balance
15

A WIC benefit balance is a combination of
subcategory level balances. For example:
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Fruit & Vegetable Benefits
16
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Fruit & Vegetable Check (FVC) in eWIC called
Fruit & Vegetable Benefits (FVB)
FVBs are not treated as different, but as a Food
Category
Value represented in dollars and cents
If FVB not use at one time, remaining FVB are
available through the end of the issuance period
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Fruit & Vegetable Benefit Balance
17

Below is an example of how the FVB will appear
in an e-WIC balance
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Benefit Aggregation
18

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Benefits for participants within a household are
aggregated (combined) into a single household
account.
The benefits of all participants in the household
can be accessed from one card.
Requires that all benefits issued in a
household/family have the same last date to use.
Families experience the ability to better manage
their benefits.
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
WIC Paper vs. eWIC: Redemption
19

Paper WIC Redemption
Participants must sign
 WIC items are separated
 Cashier must:

Know WIC items
 Check valid use dates
 Determine if items can be
purchased with the check
 Record purchase amount


Vendor must stamp checks;
deposit in bank

eWIC Redemption
Cardholders use a PIN
 WIC items may not have to
be separated (depends on
store system)
 The system determines
which items can be
purchased
 Vendor
payment
automatic,
1-2 business days

eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
UPCs, PLUs and APLs
20
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A list of all State Agency approved WIC items is
maintained and distributed to retail systems in the
Approved Product List (APL) file.
UPCs and PLUs are associated with Cats and Subcats
in the APL
Retail systems download the APL everyday to process
new or updated items.
The APL is used as part of the transaction process
along with the account balance to identify what can
be purchased by the cardholder.
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
How UPCs are Used in Redemption
21
Item Scanned
WIC Approved Items (APL)
UPC = 12345678
UPC
Cat/Subcat
11155566 Cereal/ WIC Cereal
22277799 Eggs/Dozen Eggs
33388822 Legumes/Peanut Butter
12345678 LF-Fat Free Milk/Skim
44447777 Fish/Tuna
Household Account
Cat/Subcat
Qty
Eggs/Dozen Eggs
3 Doz
Cereal/ WIC Cereal 72 Oz
Legumes/Any
1 Cont
Cheese/Cheese
1 Lb
LF-Fat Free Milk/Any 2 Gal
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
22
eWIC Technologies
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Retail Transactions
23
Smart Card

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Uses smart cards that
maintain benefit information
on the card
Transactions occur between
the card and the retail system
Transactions are saved by
retail system and a daily file
is transmitted to the e-WIC
system for processing
payments
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Online
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Uses magnetic stripe cards to
access account information on
the e-WIC system
Transactions occur live
between the retail system and
the e-WIC system
The e-WIC system determines
the payment amount based on
transactions that occur during
a set 24 hour timeframe
Benefit Issuance
24
Smart Card
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Benefits loaded to smart card,
e-WIC system updated
through batch process
No telecommunications is
required to load card
Requires smart card
reader/writer
Requires physical presence of
card at issuance location
Benefit changes require
presence of card
Online
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Benefits are posted to a eWIC system central database
over telecommunications lines
Requires telecommunications
from clinic to e-WIC system
Card reader can be used, but
not required
Does not require physical
presence of card at issuance
location
Benefit changes do not
require presence of card
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Card Issuance and Replacement
25
Smart Card

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Card issued in clinic, cardholder must
be present to select PIN
PIN changes can only be done in
clinic
Card replacement done in clinic,
requires transfer of the remaining
benefits to the new card, a 48+ hour
waiting period needed to ensure all
retail claims have been processed
Deactivated cards are added to a
hot card list distributed to vendors
can take 24 hours or more for
update to be received
One card assigned per household
Online

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Card issued in clinic (could be
mailed)
PIN changes can be done in clinic, by
phone, or online
Card replacement immediately links
remaining benefits in the account to
the new card, no waiting period,
could be replaced by mail
Card status changes are effective
immediately
Can support more than one card per
household if desired by State
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Access to Balance/Transaction Data
26
Smart Card
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Card maintains current
balance, e-WIC system
balance is not up-to-date until
all transactions have been
sent for processing by
retailers
Balance can be obtained
through retail or clinic balance
inquiry transaction
Transaction data is available
from e-WIC system after
claims have been processed
Online

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e-WIC system always has
current balance, can be
accessed by MIS
Balance can be obtained
through: retail or clinic
balance inquiry, automated
phone line, web portal, phone
app, or text messaging
Transaction data available
immediately as soon as
transaction is processed
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
27
eWIC Clinic Activities
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
New or Different Clinic Functions
28

Benefit Issuance
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Benefit Changes
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Card Issuance and Replacement
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PIN Selection and Changes
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Card Status Updates (i.e. hot card)
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Card Inventory
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Troubleshooting
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Benefit Issuance
29
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From user perspective, typically everything is the same
as paper issuance up to the point where checks would
be printed
For a new participant, the card is typically issued in
the same workflow as when checks would be printed
Technology differences:

Online: Benefits sent in background to e-WIC system, card
issuance can be done separately

Smart Card: Benefits loaded to card, card issuance occurs
at the same time
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Benefit Maintenance
30
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Benefits may require modification once issued
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How updates are made will differ between technologies
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Online: Updates made with online e-WIC account, card does
not need to be present
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Smart Card: Updates made to card data, card must be present
Update approach differs for current and future benefits

Currently available benefits (which may be partially
redeemed) requires determining current balance, debiting and
crediting of specific cat / subcat quantities

Future benefits are voided in their entirety and the corrected
benefits are reissued
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Cards and PINs
31
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Card issuance typically fits into work flow where checks were once printed

Initial Issuance
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Online: can be independent of benefit issuance and PIN selection; PIN selection
typically done by phone

Smart Card: card/benefit issuance and PIN selection done at the same time
using card reader/writer
Replacement

Online: can be done at any time; PIN carries over to new card; PIN changes
can be done by phone

Smart Card: requires waiting period; benefits and PIN must be added to new
card; PIN changes must be done in the clinic
Card inventory will be maintained by each clinic, similar process to check
stock inventory, but significantly less items; often stored in locked file
cabinet
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Troubleshooting Activities
32
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Participants may have questions about their card or account

What is my balance?

What happened to my benefits? I thought I had more in my account.

Why did my card not work at the store?
Depending on technology or state decision, there may be customer
service support available by phone or a web portal at an
additional cost
There will be information available to clinic staff to assist
participants:

Access to balance (from smart card or online e-WIC system)

Access to transaction history information

Access to card status information
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
33
eWIC in the Store
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Retail System Alternatives
34
Integrated Cash Register

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Typical for chain and multi-lane
vendors or vendors with cash
register systems that are e-WIC
ready, but encouraged for all
e-WIC purchases operate like all
other tender types
 Typically separate
equipment not
required
 It is a much more
streamlined
approach to eWIC
Stand-beside Point-of-Sale
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Separate from store cash
register system
Double scan with key entered
price and discount amounts
Daily totals are reported
separately from the store’s cash
register system, payment
separate from credit and debit
Can work over dial-up, or high
speed internet connection
Typically used by smaller stores
that are unable to integrate
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Types of eWIC Retail Transactions
35

Balance Inquiry

Purchase Transaction

Void/Reversal
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Purchase Transaction: Part 1 of 2
36
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Card is swiped/inserted and cardholder enters their
PIN
System validates the card and PIN
Balance obtained from the e-WIC system or smart
card
Each food item that has been scanned is:

Compared to APL maintained locally to determine if it is
an allowable WIC item

Compared to cardholder balance to determine if there is
sufficient balance to purchase
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Purchase Transaction: Part 2 of 2
37
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Retail system captures transaction data including item
prices and discounts to send to e-WIC system
The household’s card/account balance is reduced by the
amounts (qty) of each item being purchased
For items with a price exceeding the Not To Exceed (NTE)
amount, the paid amount for that item is reduced and
paid amount for the transaction calculated
The e-WIC system provides a response to the retail system
with approval, paid amount
A receipt showing purchase details, the new food balance,
and last date to spend for remaining benefits
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Sample Receipts
38
Sample Receipts
39
40
e-WIC Benefits and Challenges
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Benefits and Challenges
41
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There are many benefits to implementing e-WIC,
but there are always challenges when
implementing a new system or process
The experiences in other states have shown that
the benefits of e-WIC outweigh challenges
When asked, the majority of stakeholders would
rather stay with e-WIC than return to paper
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Participants
42
Benefits
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Less stigma than paper benefits,
similar to a debit card
transaction
PIN provides security, validates
transaction
Benefit aggregation improves
benefit management, one
account/card
Improved shopping experience,
participants can buy the
quantities they need, rather than
having to use the whole check at
once
Challenges




Must keep track of benefit
balance
Different store cash register
systems have different purchase
flows that participants will need
to understand
Important to know current
balance and purchase correct
WIC foods because may not
know an item will not be paid by
e-WIC until end of transaction
May have bought unauthorized
items previously that they think
are WIC items
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Vendors
43
Benefits

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Checkout processes more
efficient (no signing, dating, etc)
Transactions are less error prone,
do not rely on cashier to validate
Easier and faster to receive
payment, vendors are paid
within two business days
Vendors experience back office
labor savings, no longer
necessary to count and deposit
or process checks
Issues related to rejected checks
are eliminated
Challenges




Updates to cash register systems
e-WIC is different from other
tenders, requires special training
Retail cash register systems can
be complicated and
troubleshooting of in- lane issues
can be difficult.
Stores with stand-beside
equipment require double
scanning / price entry
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Local Staff
44
Benefits

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Reduces staff time needed for
issuance-related activities
(printing and voiding)
Eliminates need to manage
paper benefit materials and
equipment (check stock, MICR
printers, MICR ink)
Increased efficiency modifying
benefits for food package
changes, transfers, etc.
More data available for
reporting and participant
counseling
Challenges




Will need to learn some new
system functions and work flow
tasks (typically this is minimal and
may be an opportunity for the
clinic to make a desired change)
Some states have experienced
high card replacement rates
May need to assist participants
with card related troubleshooting
Training of participants is
important, they may be familiar
with SNAP EBT, but E-WIC
transactions are different
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
State Staff
45
Benefits

More data available for
reporting:



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Specific food items purchased
Food item costs
When and how benefits have
been used
Makes reporting more
accurate and efficient
Redemption data is available
more quickly
Improves accuracy of rebate
invoicing
Challenges



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Dual reporting and benefit
reconciliation required during
pilot and rollout because of dual
issuance methods
Need to ensure (with the e-WIC
processor) that the WIC vendors
are ready for e-WIC
Will need to update policies and
procedures to reflect e-WIC
Ongoing costs of e-WIC may be
more expensive than paper
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
Next Steps
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
e-WIC Planning Project Tasks
47

Project Kickoff

Project Work Plan

Project Management Plan

Stakeholder Engagement Plan

Financial Considerations/ Cost Analysis Report

Alternative Analysis Report

Technical Solution and Plan: Review of Best Practices and EBT
Recommendations Report

Implementation Advanced Planning Document (IAPD)

Implementation Request for Proposal(s) (IRFP)
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
MN e-WIC Timeline 2015 - 2020
48
2020
2019
UAT, Pilot,
and Initiate
Statewide
Roll-out
Implementation
planning and
preparation;
Retailer
enablement
2018
2017
20152016
Procurement
and
Contracting
Contract Award to EWIC Planning
Contractor
•Stakeholder engagement
•Cost Analysis
•IAPD & RFP Development
and Approval
Complete
Statewide Rollout and Full
Operation
•RFO – Request for Offer
•IAPD – Implementation Advanced Planning Document
•RFP – Request for Proposal
•UAT – User Acceptance Testing
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective
49
Questions?
If you have more questions,
please to email them to:
health.wic@state.mn.us
eWIC: From the Local Agency Perspective