Letter to Insurance

IM-PTN-IMP-FPLS-0107-1.0

January 24, 2007

Dear Insurer:

It is my pleasure to contact you regarding the Insurance Match initiative underway at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families' Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE).

The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), passed in February 2006, contains certain provisions that directly affect all insurers and their relationship with the child support enforcement community. The purpose of this letter is to introduce you to the Insurance Match provisions in the DRA and to assure you that we at OCSE are eager to work as partners with the insurance industry. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of millions of children.

Legislative Authority

The new legislation authorizes OCSE to conduct comparisons of information regarding individuals, delinquent in their child support obligation, with information from insurers to identify claims, payments and settlements. I believe we can build a relationship with the insurance industry to implement the Insurance Match, which will significantly increase child support collections.

Insurance Match Implementation

To implement the Insurance Match, OCSE would like to interface with repositories of claims data such as the Insurance Service Office's (ISO) ClaimSearch database. However, ISO has informed OCSE that the insurance companies own their claims data and will have to authorize its use in the federal match initiative. Therefore, the success of the Insurance Match is ultimately in your hands since it is contingent upon a collaborative relationship between OCSE and the repositories.

Opportunity for Involvement

In the spring of 2007, immediately following the Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. (RIMS) conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, OCSE will host a meeting with insurance industry representatives to discuss implementing the Insurance Match. I encourage your participation and your questions, comments or concerns related to this initiative. Due to space limitations, we can accommodate the first 100 representatives who contact us and commit to participate. The exact dates and location will be provided within the next several weeks.

The enclosure provides general information on the Insurance Match initiative. If you have comments or questions, please contact Roy Nix, Chief, Federal Collections and Enforcement, at (202) 401-5685.

I would like to offer my personal thanks, in advance, for your cooperation and interest in the Insurance Match. As members of the private sector, you have an opportunity to promote a humanitarian initiative as we cultivate a successful relationship in goodwill. I look forward to working together for the benefit of millions of deserving children across our nation.

Sincerely,

/s/

Margot Bean
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

cc: State IV-D Directors
Insurance Match Workgroup

Enclosure