Wednesday, 23 May 2001 Identification and Outreach/Media and Public Information Present: Kathy Sthay, Arnold Villafuerte, Lynn Fallin, Trudie China, Sue Uyehara, Dee Helber, Piilani Pang, Gwen Palmer, Ruth Ota, Sally Hansen, and Barbara Luksch Next meeting: after Kids Health Insurance Week 1. We discussed the national Back-to-School Campaign starting August 8. It was decided to call our campaign "Kids Health Insurance Week" since many of our schools have altered school calendars. a. We viewed the Covering Kids video "Back-to-School 2001." Last year the Hawaii Covering Kids back-to-school activity was outreach through school lunch referrals while Med-QUEST ran a marketing campaign. Since enrollment in Med-QUEST's expanded kids programs is low, our project will initiate statewide media outreach. b. Each pilot project (Big Island, Maui, and Kalihi-Palama) is organizing a media event. Barbara arranged technical assistance for them through the Covering Kids marketing firm GMMB&A and Beth is hosting a conference call on June 6 with the executive directors and outreach workers to discuss ideas. c. What about other geographic areas? We decided to: *contact outreach workers and help them get a community activity organized--flyers, posters, supplies *send out "Join the Team!" forms to be sent back to Barbara so the events can be publicized *see if they can connect this activity to an existing event d. Lynn will help Barbara contact Governor Cayetano for a proclamation for "Kids Health Insurance Week." e. Statewide Marketing Campaign We have very limited money, but at the same time, we will promote the following activities: * work with Lynne Waters Communications to get the word out EVERYWHERE * bus posters on Oahu (Barbara has a design and contracted a printer) * Meadow Gold milk carton panels (Kathy has a contact person) * possible radio advertising on Oahu and print advertising on the Neighbor Islands * speak on television talk shows * connect with the Honolulu Advertiser's new products manager 2. We reviewed Maui's 100% Campaign proposal. This is an admirable goal and some questions and suggestions were raised. Barbara will discuss them with Dana at Community Clinic of Maui. 3. Year 3 outreach should include businesses, unions, and the restaurant association. 4. We would like to work with Med-QUEST to reach more immigrants. They have funding--up to 10% of their CHIP money can be used for outreach--and it would be a good partnership to increase enrollment. Tuesday, 5 June 2001 Process Simplification Task Force Present: Mary Rydell, Melba Bantay, Ruth Ellen Lindenberg, Beth Giesting, Ann G. Tam Sing, Barbara Luksch, Jeffrey Young, Liane Hiramoto, and Gloria Samson Next meeting: when the handbook is ready for review 1. Old Business Barbara sent a letter to Aileen Hiramatsu on 19 April 2001, with a cc to the Process Simplification Task Force members, requesting Med-QUEST use "health insurance" instead of "medical assistance" to simplify terminology. 2. Collecting Ethnicity Data What are the barriers? Med-QUEST initially pushed to get the information but they cannot force an answer due to possible discrimination. Currently the eligibility worker guesses so data is not reliable. Barbara inserted an optional ethnicity question at the end of the new simplified application (Draft #5). The problem is that we want to identify who receives Med-QUEST health insurance so we can target access to services as well as do more outreach to underrepresented groups, but we do not have data. 3. Pregnant Women and Good Cause It was noted at the Application Simplification Workgroup's last meeting that pregnant women can claim good cause to not establish paternity and/or obtain medical support and payments. Barbara distributed a handout from "The Burden of Proof: How Much is Too Much for Child Health Coverage?" that clearly states HCFA's response to this question. However, the Hawaii Administrative Rules (17-1732-5) only apply to the Medicaid Fee-for-Service program for blind and disabled women and not QUEST. We decided: * we must tell all eligibility workers, outstationed eligibility workers, and outreach workers that good cause applies to all pregnant women * Liane will follow-up with Med-QUEST to learn how we can get official details on the QUEST rule * Ann G. will clarify this information in a handbook she is writing for outstationed eligibility workers and outreach workers * Beth will discuss the topic at the July Med-QUEST Issues meeting with Susan Chandler and Aileen Hiramatsu 4. Changing Administrative Rules It was decided this is a good topic to also refer to the Med-QUEST Issues group. As we continue our simplification efforts, we need to prevent quality control problems and unnecessary violations cited by the auditor. 5. Renewal Simplifciation Workgroup Report a. Pearl's ad hoc report on cases closed for 0-19 year olds will be ready in July b. Ann G. reported her informal report on cases closed for 0-19 year olds. It is about 10% for all offices except Kauai (25%). c. Florence Ashihara (West Hawaii Med-QUEST Supervisor) and Barbara worked on a letter and form--copies of Draft #2 were distributed. The purpose is to be more participant-friendly and encourage appropriate renewals. Some notes: * HCFA clarified at the Dallas meeting that a signature is not required for renewal * the participant can call or email the case worker if there are no changes * participants can easily read the letter and form; the case worker will complete the information * Florence will pilot test the new form at her office * Barbara will work on Draft #3 and distribute it to the Renewal Workgroup * if it is a different color it will cost more money to print and it must be a very, very light color for faxing * each eligibility worker does approximately 60-80 renewals per month d. Beth is interested in outreach workers and outstationed eligibility workers assisting participants with renewals Confidentiality cannot be breached, but often these workers already helped with the application. One possibility is to mention this on the initial application that would allow Med-QUEST to legally share information with outreach workers and outstationed eligibility workers. e. Barbara will redesign the form according to suggestions and email it to the renewal workgroup for review. 6. Application Simplification Workgroup Report a. We reviewed Draft #5 and suggested changes. Barbara will redesign another draft. b. Barbara asked about a separate, very simple application for children and pregnant women only. The reason is that our revised application has too many questions that do not pertain to these persons. Since enrollment numbers are low for the Med-QUEST expansions (CHIP and Immigrant Children's Program), we could eliminate the complex application barrier. She will draft a sample for review. c. Mary explained that listing car insurance is not required. Liane will check on eliminating this question. d. We were not sure the exact information required for "Citizen." Liane will also research this question. e. Gloria, Barbara, and Liane are working on Draft #2 of the rights and responsibilities. They are adding information from Forms 1247 and 1247A to eliminate these forms (yeah--less paperwork for applicants and Med-QUEST!). Barbara Fabrey is no longer with Legal Aid Society, therefore Nau Kamalii from Papa Ola Lokahi agreed to review the next draft.