Because most governments abandoned their systems for administering these programs and outsource it to companies like Conduent nee Xerox. It doesn't save money, but it shifts risk to the vendor.
Once a vendor gets one of these contracts, they can repackage it for other states, or get acquired by a bigger company. They don't "own" the databases, but they end up controlling it and acquiring competitors. It is a many-billion dollar market.
Once a vendor gets one of these contracts, they can repackage it for other states, or get acquired by a bigger company. They don't "own" the databases, but they end up controlling it and acquiring competitors. It is a many-billion dollar market.