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Moving Beyond Enrollment
| Topics |
Hospitals and clinics
Job training and adult education
Networking and collaboration
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| States served |
Massachusetts
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| Description |
The Moving Beyond Enrollment (MBE) program was established by three direct service agencies, the coordinating agency, two community coalitions, and three statewide agencies to support experienced community-based outreach workers in providing the follow-up necessary to educate Medicaid clients, help them solve problems, and utilize the health care system most effectively in order to receive health care. The three direct services agencies - Children's Health Program, Athol Memorial Hospital, and Outer Cape Health services - employed and supervised outreach workers. Steps included verifying eligibility, helping members choose an appropriate plan and provider, educating members on how to use the system and the importance of preventive care, following up to ensure that visits to providers were scheduled and completed, and helping members with the annual review process.
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| Services offered |
One innovation of the MBE program was the model of using experienced community-based outreach workers to do systematic, proactive post-enrollment followup. These workers already have detailed knowledge of State programs and local resources, have the trust of their clients, and are very effective in helping clients negotiate the system particularly in rural areas where the only alternative may be an 800 customer service number. A second innovation of the MBE program was the inclusion of medical providers in the dialogue on post-enrollment issues. Because outreach workers and provider staffs work with many of the same clients on the same issues, sharing perspectives was useful in cementing their relationships. |
| Results |
The Moving Beyond Enrollment project fulfilled and exceeded expectations. Between September 1999 and June 2000, three regional sites served 4,485 individuals. Of the 2,477 individuals who received followup, 83 percent succeeded in making an appointment or confirming their relationship with a primary care provider during the course of the grant period. More will follow. |
| Replication |
The MBE model is well suited for replication in other rural settings. Using community-based outreach staff is particularly important in rural areas that do not have central sources of information. Outreach workers already in the communities bring knowledge of available programs, the local community, and its resources. The relationships of trust that they have with their clients enable them to be effective in overcoming barriers to accessing care. In an environment of financial cutbacks and limited funding, when the emphasis is on utilizing existing resources, the MBE model is especially appropriate. |
| Source |
Outreach Sourcebook, Vol. 9, 1999-2002, Office of Rural Health Policy
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| Contact person |
Linda Small, Executive Director
Children's Health Program, Inc.
54 Castle Street
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Phone: (413) 528-9311
Fax: (413) 528-2863
E-mail: lindahsmall@yahoo.com |
| Date added |
July 11, 2005 |
Summaries of success stories are provided by RAC for your convenience. Please contact the success story contact person directly for the most complete and current information.
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