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US Government

US Government

Key Points


References

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m RI ebc pilot 1
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Reference materials
















US Laws, Bills and Executive Actions



US Social Insurance Programs 


Social Security

The U.S. Social Security program, officially the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program, provides financial support to retired workers, individuals with disabilities, and survivors of deceased workers, funded primarily through payroll taxes. 
Here's a more detailed explanation:
What is the Social Security Program?
  • Purpose:
    The Social Security program, administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), is a social insurance program designed to provide financial assistance to individuals facing retirement, disability, or the death of a family member. 
  • Key Programs:
    • Retirement Benefits: Provides monthly payments to retired workers and their families. 
    • Disability Benefits: Offers financial assistance to individuals who are unable to work due to a qualifying disability. 
    • Survivor Benefits: Provides payments to the families of deceased workers, including spouses and children. 
  • How it Works:
    • "Pay-as-you-go" system: Current workers' payroll taxes fund benefits for current retirees and beneficiaries. 
    • Payroll Taxes: Workers and employers each contribute a percentage of wages to the Social Security trust funds. 
    • Trust Funds: The money collected from payroll taxes is deposited into two trust funds: the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. 
    • Benefits are paid from the trust funds . 
Who Benefits?
  • Retired Workers: Individuals who have worked a sufficient number of years and meet certain age requirements.
  • People with Disabilities: Those who are unable to work due to a qualifying disability.
  • Survivors of Deceased Workers: Spouses, children, and other family members who meet specific eligibility requirements.
  • Dependent Spouses and Children of Beneficiaries: May also receive benefits based on the earnings record of the beneficiary. 
Where Do the Funds Come From?
  • Payroll Taxes:
    The primary source of funding is payroll taxes, collected under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA).
  • FICA:
    • Employees: Pay 6.2% of their wages up to a certain annual limit.
    • Employers: Match the employee's contribution, also paying 6.2%.
    • Self-Employed: Pay both the employee and employer portions, totaling 12.4%.
  • Other Sources:
    • Interest on Trust Fund Investments: The Social Security trust funds invest in U.S. Treasury securities, generating interest income.
    • Taxation of Benefits: Some Social Security benefits are subject to federal income tax, contributing to the trust funds. 

Medicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people aged 65 and older, and certain younger individuals with disabilities or specific conditions, funded by payroll taxes, general revenues, and beneficiary premiums. 
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Who Benefits from Medicare?
  • People aged 65 and older:
    Most people who are 65 or older and have worked or whose spouse has worked in covered employment are eligible for Medicare. 
  • People under 65 with disabilities:
    Individuals under 65 who have a disability and have received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for 24 months are eligible. 
  • People with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD):
    Individuals of any age with permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant are eligible. 
  • People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS):
    Individuals of any age with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) are eligible. 
How is Medicare Funded?
  • Payroll Taxes:
    Medicare is primarily funded through payroll taxes, which are deducted from the wages of workers and matched by employers. 
  • General Revenues:
    The federal government contributes to Medicare through general revenues, which are funds from various sources, including taxes. 
  • Beneficiary Premiums:
    People with Medicare pay monthly premiums for certain parts of the program, such as Part B (medical insurance) and Part D (prescription drug coverage). 
  • Other Sources:
    Other sources of funding include taxes on Social Security benefits, payments from states, and interest earned on trust funds. 
  • Trust Funds:
    Medicare is funded through two trust funds: the Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund, which finances Part A (hospital insurance), and the Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) trust fund, which finances Part B (medical insurance) and Part D (prescription drug coverage). 


Medicaid

Medicaid is a joint federal-state program providing health coverage to low-income individuals, including children, parents, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities, and is funded by both the federal and state governments. 
Here's a more detailed explanation:
What is Medicaid?
  • Medicaid is a US health insurance program that covers medical costs for low-income individuals and families. 
  • It's a joint program, meaning the federal and state governments share the funding and administration. 
  • States have considerable flexibility in designing and administering their Medicaid programs, within broad federal guidelines. 
  • Medicaid is a major source of funding for health care and long-term services and supports for low-income residents. 
Who Benefits from Medicaid?
  • Medicaid provides coverage to a wide range of low-income individuals, including:
    • Children
    • Parents
    • Pregnant women
    • Elderly individuals
    • People with disabilities
    • Some states have expanded Medicaid coverage to include other adults below a certain income level. 
Where Does Medicaid Funding Come From?
  • Joint Federal-State Funding:
    The program is funded jointly by the federal government and the states. 
  • Federal Share:
    The federal government contributes a share of Medicaid spending, which varies by state based on a state's per capita income relative to the national average. 
    • The federal share is known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP). 
    • The FMAP ranges from a federal floor of 50% up to 76%. 
  • State Share:
    States finance the remaining portion of Medicaid spending through various sources, including general fund revenue, taxes on healthcare providers, and other sources. 
  • Federal Matching:
    The federal government provides matching funds for state Medicaid spending, with the matching rate varying by state. 
  • No Cap:
    The federal government's contribution to Medicaid is an open-ended reimbursement categorical grant, meaning there is no cap on federal funding. 

Supplemental Security Insurance Program

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program is a US federal program providing monthly cash assistance to individuals with limited income and resources who are aged 65 or older, blind, or disabled, and it is funded by general tax revenues, not Social Security taxes. 
Here's a more detailed explanation:
What is SSI?
  • The SSI program, administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), provides monthly cash assistance to individuals with limited income and resources who are aged 65 or older, blind, or disabled.
  • It's a needs-based program, meaning eligibility is determined by income and resource limits, not by a history of work or contributions to Social Security.
  • SSI benefits are designed to help individuals meet basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing.
  • Unlike Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which is based on a worker's earnings record, SSI benefits are not based on prior work history. 
Who Benefits?
  • Individuals who are 65 years of age or older.
  • Individuals who are blind.
  • Individuals who have a qualifying disability.
  • Children who are blind or have a qualifying disability and meet income and resource requirements. 
Where do the funds come from?
  • SSI is funded from general revenues of the U.S. Treasury, which include personal income taxes, corporate taxes, and other taxes.
  • It is not financed by Social Security taxes (payroll taxes) like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)


US Economic, Finance, Trade and Commerce Programs 


SBIR / STTR programs for Innovation

U.S. innovation programs, like the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, aim to stimulate technological innovation, meet Federal research and development needs, and promote private-sector commercialization of innovations, benefiting small businesses, research institutions, and the public sector. These programs are funded by federal research funds


https://www.sbir.gov/tutorials/program-basics/tutorial-1


https://techpipeline.com/product/sbir-and-sttr-workshop-fundamentals-of-a-winning-nih-proposal/


https://techpipeline.com/product/sbir-and-sttr-step-by-step-a-how-to-guide-for-preparing-winning-nih-and-nsf-proposals/


US SBIR Program Video Tutorial - 1 hr

US Military Programs






Technologies - Key Concepts



EIDAS 2.0 & Qualified Ledgers: Bridging the Gap between Blockchain Technology and Legal Compliance - Schwalm Steffen - 2024

eIDAS 2.0 will revolutionize the digital ecosystem in Europe. One underestimated subject is the role of DLT aka Blockchain within the eIDAS 2.0 ecosystem. With Section 11 the regulation creates dedicated Qualified Trust Service on Electronic Ledger - although eIDAS is technology neutral, Art. 45 h following can be seen as regulation for European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI). Looking at the mandatory implementing acts eIDAS 2.0 is on the way to solve main challenges on DLT: Proven security & trust. As EBSI-VECTOR project, TRACE4EU Consortium, EBSI-NE shaping the future of DLT in Europe: What are use cases for QTSP for Ledger? What are possible requirements and most interesting: What´s the role of DLT in relationship to other Qualified Trust Services and EUDI Wallet?


eidas-Qualified Ledgers- Bridging the Gap between Blockchain Technology and Legal Compliance - Schwalm Steffen - 2024.   link

eidas-Qualified Ledgers- Bridging the Gap between Blockchain Technology and Legal Compliance - Schwalm Steffen - 2024.pdf. file

Welcome to a new era in the world of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). Enter eIDAS 2.0, the European Union’s latest proposal that’s set to redefine the landscape of digital identity, legal compliance, and electronic ledgers.

eIDAS 2.0 introduces the concept of ‘qualified electronic ledgers’, a new category of a qualified trust service on electronic ledger that combines the best of both worlds: ledger technology and legal compliance. It’s like continuing the DLT evolution, only this time, it is also compliant with eIDAS 2.0 as a pan-European legal framework.

In this article, we’ll dive into electronic ledger legal innovations of eIDAS 2.0, explore the different types of DLT ledgers, and discuss how qualified electronic ledgers could potentially turn the ledger debate on its head. We’ll also look at use cases and benefits of qualified ledgers for regulated industries, and make some predictions about the future of DLT, the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU, and the intersection between identity, industry 4.0, and CBDCs for institutional adoption.

The new [eIDAS 2.0] section 11 establishes a framework for trust services in regards to the creation and maintenance of electronic ledgers and qualified electronic ledgers. An electronic ledger combines time stamping of data and their sequencing with certainty about the data originator similar to e-signing with the additional benefit of enabling a more decentralized governance that is suitable for multi-party cooperation. This is important for various use-cases that can be built on electronic ledgers.

EIDAS 2.0

The European Union’s eIDAS 2.0 is a proposed regulation that aims to establish a framework for a European Digital Identity and Trust services. This regulation is designed to support the Union’s transformation towards a Digital Single Market, addressing the growing digitisation of cross-border public and private services which rely on the use of digital identity solutions. The proposal builds on the current eIDAS Regulation, focusing on the role of Member States as providers of legal identities and on the framework for the provision of electronic trust services in the European Union.

eIDAS 2.0 is intended to provide access to highly secure and trustworthy electronic identity solutions as well as trust services for cross-border use. It aims to ensure that public and private services can rely on trusted and secure digital identity solutions, and that natural and legal persons are empowered to use digital identity solutions and trust services








Projects - Key Concepts


SDP



project success
driven by

clarity
collaboration
communication
commitment
cooperation



provide a detail overview of the key use cases, problems solved, solution features, related standards, solution architecture, operating environments, estimated value, costs & risks running the system, common integrations, recommendations and at least 2 good client references that are well documented for the NICE CXone software solution. Add a list of all the URLs used to generate this overview



Solution - Key Concepts






Potential Value Opportunities



Potential Challenges


Microsoft Teams very buggy


Use Outlook or Teams view to reschedule a Teams meeting

https://www.google.com/search?q=teams+how+to+reschedule+a+meeting&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS911US911&oq=teams+how+to+reschedule+a+meeting&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.6622j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Outlook assistant allows checking all attendee calendars



Candidate Solutions


AI & ML in Digital Government use case - quantiphi

https://www.govfuture.com/event/transforming-state-local-government-using-ai-ml/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=linkedin-dlvr.it

Transforming State & Local Government using AI/ML

how state and local government is transforming using Ai/ML featuring a live demo of intelligent document processing platform QDox.

Key Takeaways:

  • Supercharging constituents’ document processing with AI
  • Increase constituent satisfaction through Conversational AI & Virtual Agents
  • Success Stories from the Department of Labour and Department Of Health




International Digital Government Conference hosted by State of RI

To:Tanner Liz (COMM)
Cc:Jim Mason
Sat, Dec 16 at 8:37 PM
Hi Liz
I'm sure you're beyond busy.  
At some point it would be nice to sync BUT there is a ton of BIG stuff in finance as you know on Digital Asset Tokenization and Networks.
It wouldn't hurt to be "in front" on some of the ideas with a long-term Digital Government strategy.
Crazy thought.
Should Rhode Island host an International Digital Government Conference in 2024? 
There's a ton in the world of finance on digital assets, banking, regulations, payments etc. I was connected to different parts of it ( Swift, RLN, DTCC and the Digital Dollar Project, European Blockchain work on Crypto ( MICA ) and AI regulations ). A lot of this ties directly or indirectly into many of the solutions the State runs today using new technology. 
There's also a lot on adding AI services to many of these solutions for automation and decision making. 
At some point, putting all this in the lens of Digital Government makes a lot of sense. Given your experience, you are the right person to lead this focus.
The work you did with Self Sovereign Identity in RI is the right foundation for all of this. As I said then, it can be integrated to your existing digital solutions using identity bridges ( OAuth, OIDC etc ). 
Here you can seeEthereum is adding support for permissioned blockchains that require governance and complianceto support more finance use cases that would cover not only securities trading but real estate titles, permits etc. Hyperledger Fabric is a permissioned blockchain that supports these concepts as well. The key is they will all leverage the identity foundations you are already building. As you know, very few governments anywhere are really building on that correctf foundation. 
So much for a short email but it would be good to have a catch up conversation at a point. There are many key players and resources that could be pulled into a holistic Digital Government roadmap. You and RI are probably the right home for that work.

Your thoughts ( if you have time ) ?
Jim

IDGRI = the Woodstock of Digital Government or the "Bretton Woods" of Digital Government

partners 

RI, Brown, Citi, Swift, Deloitte or Accenture or ?, Citizens, Fidelity, CVS, EUBOF, INATBA, GBBC, GBA, EU Parl, Dr Thomas Dunser, Estonia, DTCC, Visa, JPM, Federal Reserve, FedNow, Bank of England, Hyperledger, EEA, NYS?, Wyoming?, 


Why?

id current solution opportunities for stakeholders

id current challenges and threats to stakeholders including impacts from other domains ( UN SDGs, population problems, ESG )

share successes, lessons learned and strategies on DG

share key technologies - automation, analytics, pogs, gen AI, web3, identity, privacy, regulations innovations, compliance innovations, reporting innovations



Step-by-step guide for Example



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