Washington State official explains how PARIS VA match helps verify veterans’ benefits

Tim Don, a veterans benefits coordinator with the Washington State Health Care Authority, told a virtual PARIS training that the PARIS VA match is a practical tool for state eligibility staff to verify whether clients receive VA benefits and to reduce improper payments. "It is matched by SSN social security number, through the defense manpower data center," Don said, describing how the Defense Manpower Data Center matches state recipient information to the VA benefits extract and returns a file states can use to check benefit receipt.

Don walked attendees through the extract’s most useful fields — VA file number, veteran and beneficiary SSNs, payee type, award type and award-line codes — and urged staff to consult the PARIS website for the extract layout. He said the file supplies information on payment type and amounts, and can indicate terminated or suspended payments, which helps eligibility staff discern whether a claim is…