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A place to collect ideas for CfA health projects
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Balance: Check your EBT balance via SMS #34

Open lippytak opened 10 years ago

lippytak commented 10 years ago

Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards are used to distribute many cash benefits in CA, including CalFresh and local welfare programs. You can check the balance online by going here and creating an account: https://www.ebt.ca.gov/caebtclient/reciplogin_client.jsp. But that's lame. You can also call the # and enter your 16 digit account number: 1-877-328-9677. But that's lame too.

But what if we could use Twilio to call 1-877-328-9677 on your behalf, transcribe the message, and text back the amount? Here's the basic flow:

  1. Client texts us account # (just the first time - maybe 4 digit confirmation on subsequent uses?)
  2. We initiate call to 1-877-328-9677 and follow the first two prompts (language + case #) automatically
  3. We transcribe audio recording and parse the transcription to get the current balance
  4. We respond to client with balance

@daguar's hacking on this as we speak to determine feasibility before we figure out potential value and optimal UX.

daguar commented 10 years ago

w00t I think Twilio can do the transcription.

I've tested it and — at least based on a sample size of a one account balance ($141.74) — the Twilio robots did their job.

It's worth noting that every transcription is 5 cents, so if we can do it ourselves we can cut down on costs.

lippytak commented 10 years ago

It's alive!! https://github.com/daguar/balance

fureigh commented 10 years ago

Rapid rapid rapid!

lippytak commented 10 years ago

Aaaaaaaaand it works! blur

"Production" phone number = (415) 798-2736 (Edit: You can test it out using this EBT number: 5077190197646090).

For now PM me, @daguar, or @alanjosephwilliams to get an EBT number to play with. @alanjosephwilliams what are your thoughts on sharing your EBT card # on GH? Risks/benefits/your immediate emotional reaction to the idea?

alanjosephwilliams commented 10 years ago

I don't think it can be used unless the card is run—I haven't yet seen a place to enter the number online (next project??). And as you know I'm not particularly risk averse.

So yes: 5077190197646090

Let me know if the second number (which I believe is meant to represent me, rather than my account) is required.

ajb commented 10 years ago

y'all are awesome. :star2:

daguar commented 10 years ago

First user in the wild (via signs in West SOMA): 3 days, 23 hours after initial idea posted.

billypat commented 9 years ago

Hey guys, Our local food Startup wants to accept EBT/Snap, are you guys working on anything like this or know someone that is?

Cheers,

Will https://github.com/producerun/ will@producerun.com

lippytak commented 9 years ago

hey @hackandgrow! So I hate to do this but I have to refer you to the federal government (bleh): http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailers-0. In order to accept SNAP, FNS needs to authorize you as a retailer. There are some inventory and POS requirements (no online sales). If you choose to go through this process I'd be really interested to hear how it goes. Good luck!

billypat commented 9 years ago

Thanks Lippytak, We are going through the process now. I learnt that EBT is encrypted differently to the credit and debit cards and restrictions on some products

We are going to become a snap retailer but we are looking for solutions to make this a win win for our farmers and the people that we currently have to say no too(we hate saying no).

Any suggestions on how we could get started with a solutions, perhaps we create an open source EBT payment gateway to show government?

lippytak commented 9 years ago

You're over my head, Will. Sorry! Hopefully someone else can weigh in...

On Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 4:30 PM, William Pattison notifications@github.com wrote:

Thanks Lippytak, We are going through the process now. I learnt that EBT is encrypted differently to the credit and debit cards and restrictions on some products

We are going to become a snap retailer but we are looking for solutions to make this a win win for our farmers and the people that we currently have to say no too(we hate saying no).

Any suggestions on how we could get started with a solutions, perhaps we create an open source EBT payment gateway to show government?

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/34#issuecomment-72766903 .

Snapbenefits commented 4 years ago

You can easily check it online via [LINK REDACTED]

Also see gas stations where you can use your EBT card [LINK REDACTED]

daguar commented 4 years ago

Well hi there @Snapbenefits! Looks like you're making an SEO play on SNAP info, eh? Care to share any details of what you're up to?

daguar commented 4 years ago

Sorry @Snapbenefits but since you haven't replied I've had to remove your links -- can't do link building on this train!

Snapbenefits commented 4 years ago

Didn't get your point

On Sat, Jan 11, 2020, 12:55 AM Dave Guarino notifications@github.com wrote:

Sorry @Snapbenefits https://github.com/Snapbenefits but since you haven't replied I've had to remove your links -- can't do link building on this train!

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/34?email_source=notifications&email_token=AOGLJFFVPSLMSEKDO4F465TQ5EDGRA5CNFSM4ASRY7X2YY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEIVRZGA#issuecomment-573250712, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AOGLJFG7TOJMM7LGAMSPHX3Q5EDGRANCNFSM4ASRY7XQ .

bmwwoo commented 3 years ago

This looks like it was a pretty creative solution for acquiring the EBT balance! Do you know of any way to get the transaction history or if there's any APIs for this now?

Snapbenefits commented 3 years ago

Not sure about that.

On Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 11:05 PM Brandon Woo @.***> wrote:

This looks like it was a pretty creative solution for acquiring the EBT balance! Do you know of any way to get the transaction history or if there's any APIs for this now?

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/34#issuecomment-811496541, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AOGLJFEVUBCVPCO3E5DU7HLTGOMBLANCNFSM4ASRY7XQ .