Judgment Fund Journal Spring 2003: Judgment Fund: Programs and Systems: Financial Management Service

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Judgment Fund Journal Spring 2003

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Digital Imaging of Claims Forms

In the very near future, the Judgment Fund Branch will have the capabilities of digitizing all incoming claims submissions and attachments. This new technology will enable the office to store the data on a disk, for easy retrieval. The new Digital Imaging process will interface with the existing Judgment Fund System database. The Analysts will be able to review and analyze the claims in a more timely manner. In order for this new process to be effective, it was imperative for us to make changes to the FMS Forms 194-197. We should have the proposed forms on the Web site by Autumn.

The digitizing of the claims submissions is the first step in our efforts to reduce the amount paper handled for the processing of the payments. Our future plans are to have the capabilities for agencies to submit claims via the internet. This would involve not only a change for the Judgment Fund operations but also for agencies that will opt for electronic submission.

We will have more to say on this subject in the next newsletter. Please let us know if the submission of the claims forms and attachments via the internet (Web Submission) is something your agency would be interested in.

Judgment Fund Conference

We are making plans to sponsor our first Judgment Fund Conference, to be held at the Financial Management Service, PGMC II, 3700 East-West Highway, Hyattsville, MD 20782. The purpose of the conference is to meet with our agency customers, (connect a face with a voice mail or E-mail) discuss current issues involving the submission of claims, resolve any problems that we or the agency is experiencing and together prepare for the future. We have tentatively set the Autumn of 2003 as the time for the conference. Please let us of know your interest in having a conference.

Supporting Documentation

There are certain claims submissions that require additional documentation.

In the case of an Administrative Award that involves a minor, the Submitting Agency must submit Guardianship documents showing the appointment of the guardian. If the state in which the minor lives does not require formal proceedings for the appointment of a guardian, the Submitting Agency should cite the appropriate state legal citation. If an individual is filing a claim as the Administrator or Executor of the estate, we require Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary showing the name of the individual representing the estate of the deceased.

There are many claims submitted by agencies that involve an auto accident where the payee is an insurance company. A representative of the insurance company must sign the FMS Form

No Fear Act

The Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002, will be discussed at the Financial ManagementConference in August at the Bethesda, Maryland Hyatt Regency. Effective October 1, 2003, agencies must reimburse the Judgment Fund for discrimination and whistle blower cases. We are awaiting implementing rules from the Office of Personnel Management.