It appears that Worlds is valued more highly than the US Championship for the purposes of funding. Make the podium at Worlds, you are in Team A, Tier 1. Maximum $$$$$$. Your National placement is irrelevant.
Win US Nationals, you are in Team A, but not necessarily Tier 1. You still have to do a little work to make Tier 1.
Not really. Reverse it. The person who made the podium at worlds ALREADY had do "a little work" to finish 2nd or third at nationals. Basically, the second place or third place finisher at nats has to actually medal at world to get tier 1. But the champion only has to finish 10. I mean, that made it very difficult for Mirai to get tier 1 - but not so much for Rachael. It actually sounds to me like the rules protect the national champion. A top 10 finish is normally not too much to ask for the USA champion. It was for Alissa and Jeremy, I guess, but I'd argue that they LOST tier 1 status when it should have been in bag. It's the second and third place national finishers who are asked "to do a little work" for their tier 1 status, not the national champ.