TITLE
Title
HHS-DSS: EXPAND THE CONTRACT WITH CONE HEALTH TO SUPPORT ELIGIBILITY CASEWORK
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Sharon Barlow
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BACKGROUND
Background
Guilford County Health and Human Services’ Division of Social Services (HHS-DSS) contracts with Cone Health to provide on-site Medicaid eligibility caseworkers who help patients apply for Title XIX Medicaid and determine whether applicants qualify for coverage. The agreement supports the federal outstationing requirements in 42 C.F.R. § 435.904, which require state Medicaid agencies to give certain low-income pregnant women, infants, and children an opportunity to apply for Medicaid at designated locations, including qualifying Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSHs) and federally qualified health centers.
Under the current agreement, Cone Health covers the County’s share of the cost for three eligibility caseworkers, two assigned to Adult Medicaid and one to Child Medicaid. HHS-DSS assigns these caseworkers to Wesley Long Hospital and Moses Cone Hospital. Cone Health has requested two additional caseworkers to serve patients at the MedCenter for Women and the Guilford County Behavioral Health Center.
The proposed amendment would add one full-time equivalent (FTE) position and funding to support one existing position, increasing the number of cost shared Medicaid eligibility caseworkers under the agreement from three to five. The two positions would be funded for the duration of the agreement at a combined estimated cost of $146,312. Guilford County expects to receive $109,734 (75%) through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ monthly reimbursement process. Cone Health would cover the County’s remaining share of $36,578 (25%).
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
$146,312 Increase in Appropriation to Health & Human Services
$109,734 Increase in Federal/State Revenue
$36,578 Increase in Other Revenue
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Approve the contract with Cone Health to increase the number of Medicaid Eligibility Caseworkers and approve the requested budget amendment to increase appropriation to Health & Human Services by $146,312 and to reflect additional revenue received of $109,734 from State reimbursement and $36,578 from Cone reimbursement; and approve the addition of one (1) full-time employee to HHS-Department of Social Services for the life of the contract funded by Cone Health Systems.
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