Getting & Keeping Kids Covered Washington State CKF Collaborative Learning Session 2 Chattanooga, TN March 30 – April 1

Team Members Penny Reid, CKF Manager, Washington Health Foundation Annette Rodriquez, Outreach Coordinator, Yakima Neighborhood Health Services Judy Cook, Medical Programs Manager, DSHS Medical Assistance Administration Vicki Hobbs, CSO Administrator, DSHS Economic Services Administration Goal : Improve renewals for Medicaid kids in CSO 128 (Yakima region)

Impact of Eligibility Changes on Statewide Caseload

Looking Closely at One Aspect of the Caseload Puzzle: Renewals in CSO 128

PDSAs for “Postcard” Reminders PLAN – Send 20 reminders – English or Spanish – to those due for renewal and compare to 20 in control group DO – Sent reminders on 1/16 STUDY – Compared results on 2/6. Inconclusive. ACT – Run larger groups of 40 in February

Postcards don’t matter Larger test and control groups of 40 do not show that reminders make a difference. Our team will bring the postcards (and other renewal docs to TN for review with Penny Lane and others) Flyer No flyer No review received Processed and Recert Received not processed Rec. Pending income Processed/Denied no income Client request closure

PDSAs for Phone Renewals First PDSA was conducted by Annette at clinic when client sought medical services and had positive pregnancy test. Annette called Anna at CSO and completed phone renewal in 21 minutes. Anna out-stationed to YNHS in January. For next PDSA, Annette renewed coverage for 8 children (4 families/calls). Income Verification for one required “prudent person, income review.” 1 2

Phone Renewals PDSA 3 PLAN – Spread to 45 workers so when client calls regarding Child Care, can renew Medical and synchronize dates for both. Compare time and pending rate to 10 done by paper/batch method. Note I.V. DO – 96 calls in February provided opportunity to renew STUDY – Tallied data and compared to 10 paper/batch renewals ACT – Report to Eligibility Workgroup on 3/17 and agree to next steps

Phone Renewals appear to take less time than paper/batch method but comparison is rough Allows synchronization of renewal dates Color-coded envelopes decrease time needed in mail room for paper/batch method Phone renewals result in a lower percentage of cases pended than the paper/batch method In this set of data, income verification was confirmed as follows: Analysis of Phone Renewals to Date

It’s now time to involve Eligibility Workgroup Eligibility Workgroup is MAA, reps from 6 CSO regions, and CBO stakeholders Meets monthly Will consider spread of strategy statewide Successes to date:  Helped coordinate trainings for CSOs and community  Forum for policy makers and implementers  Forum for sharing best practices  Discussion led to rescinding renewal signature WAC  Discussion helped draw attention to problems which led to adding 68 FTEs