Choice Counseling
Contractor: Florida State University
Agency Contract Number: MED107 (MED033)
Contract Period: July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010
Deliverables
Background
The Florida State University’s Institute of Science and Public Affairs was established in 1978. The Institute’s mission is to provide solutions to Florida’s emerging social and economic issues. See http://www.ispa.fsu.edu/ The Florida State University has worked with the Agency for Health Care Administration to implement the Medicaid Reform Program in Broward and Duval Counties since February 2006. Specifically, FSU 1) developed a 10 Module online Choice Counselor training and evaluation program, 2) created and printed almost 300,000 county specific flyer and health plan comparison charts, 3) developed and produced 500 informational DVDs, 4) built a tri-lingual website with monthly health plan updates and 5) collected, analyzed, and reported feedback from beneficiaries and Choice Counselors. The total cost of the original 17 month contract was $1,249,714. The contract was extended in 2007 and 2008 to maintain/update the online course functions at a cost of $85,000. The budget for the next year extension is $100,000.
As the Reform pilot program transitions into the next phase and our knowledge about Reform grows, there are several areas in the FSU MediRITE (Medicaid Reform Information, Training and Evaluation) project that need to be improved.
Online Choice Counselor Course
The 10 Module online Choice Counseling Course and Evaluation has continuously improved since it was originally created in May and June 2006. The new contract will include on-going
maintenance of the course which will include updating minor content changes in the course as AHCA directs, scheduling and administering the Certification examinations and scheduling and monitoring the qualification examinations. Following each Qualification examination, a Diploma/Certificate of Training is printed and deliver to the ACS training representative.
Re-Certification Program
The MediRITE course was first administered and counselors received their initial certification in June 2006. With all certifications, unused knowledge is forgotten and new policies, procedures, and techniques may be overlooked during the routine of daily duties. For those reasons, are-certification is required of all counselors who have been certified longer than two years to ensure these professionals maintain the standard expected by AHCA.
The new contract element will create a re-certification Module and Evaluation in the existing online course. Once approved, the Module and Examination will be put online at www.flmedirite.com . FSU will contact the Medicaid Reform Enrollment Broker to get a list of all Choice Counselors who have been certified longer than 2 years and schedule the re-certification course and examination. Once counselors complete the Module and pass the examination, FSU will provide the Enrollment Broker with a list of names and print certificates so the Enrollment Broker can provide them to the counselors.
Website Benefit Template
Component
The last element is to maintain and update a Benefits Template that provides information to beneficiaries who use the Medicaid Reform website. This is the same template provided to the counselors when they take the online course. The template will be placed on the Pick a Plan: Step 1 page. The language title for the Benefits Template will be in all three languages; however the actual template will only be in English. This is like the links on this website and the medication list. Each benefit will have its definition and any limits/exceptions (according to the Summary of Services document), and what can change with Reform health plans. FSU will be responsible for keeping the templates current when AHCA notifies FSU of needed changes.
Agency Contact: Bruce Congleton
