WIC EBT Feasibility Study and Cost‐Benefit Analysis

Virginia Department of Health WIC EBT Feasibility Study and Cost-Benefit Analysis
5.5 BENEFITS
5.5.1 BENEFITS OF E-WIC OVER PAPER
Regardless of the technology (magnetic stripe or smart cards), deployment of e-WIC was
determined to improve the ability of the State to meet its established WIC Program strategic
goals and objectives. To make this determination, WIC Services participated in a focus group
and subsequent meetings, using the following process:
1. Each of the strategic goals in the State Plan was analyzed to determine whether it would
be influenced by the type of WIC issuance – either paper or electronic. Goals that were
determined not to be influenced by the mode of issuance, such as supporting civil rights
through training materials, were eliminated from the analysis.
2. The remaining strategic goals were rated on a 1 to 5 scale on their overall importance to
the WIC Program; the anticipated level of impact that mode of issuance would have on
the strategic goal; and the likelihood that either paper issuance or e-WIC would support
the strategic goal. Rating definitions are as follows:
1. No importance, impact or probability
2. Below average importance, impact or probability
3. Average importance, impact or probability
4. Above average importance, impact or probability
5. Highest importance, impact or probability
3. The average of the three categories was calculated for both the paper-based and the e-
WIC systems.
4. If the proposed system received an average score of 4 to 4.5 it was considered to be of
above average benefit in assisting the State to achieve its strategic goals and objectives.
An average score of 4.5 to 5.0 was considered to provide the highest benefit in assisting
the State to achieve its strategic goals and objectives.
With the exception of the two goals aimed to support delivery of services during a disaster 7 , e-
WIC was considered to provide greater benefits to meeting the State’s strategic goals than paperbased
issuance. E-WIC was rated above 4 in all categories, above 4 in 30 of the 34 (88 percent)
strategic goals, and above 4.5 in 17 of the 34 (50 percent) categories. The largest differential in
benefits between paper-based and e-WIC fell in the categories of vendor management, nutrition
services and information systems (a score differential of 0.9, 0.9 and 0.8, respectively). Each of
these areas was seen to receive much greater benefits from e-WIC than if the State maintains its
status quo. The full analysis, which provides the business case for e-WIC in general, is provided
in Appendix C.
Based on responses in a web-based survey available to the State’s WIC clients, program
participants were enthusiastic about e-WIC and its perceived benefits. Following are only a few
of the 54 comments received, of which the vast majority approved the idea of an e-WIC solution:
• The card would be easier to carry and maintain.
• Using the e-WIC card would allow me to purchase what I need at the time and wait for
the items to be in stock.
7 The methodologies for delivering WIC benefits in a disaster have not yet been clearly defined.
27 V 1.2 August 20, 2008