2011 Maximizing Enrollment State to State Exchange in Massachusetts

 Maximizing Enrollment State-to-State Exchange 2011

Omni Parker House, Boston, MA
March 23-25, 2011

The Maximizing Enrollment Annual State-to-State Exchange took place in Boston, MA this year. This Exchange was an opportunity for grantee states to learn first hand about innovations, such as the Connector and Virtual Gateway, Massachusetts developed to implement their state health reform initiative. It was also an opportunity for all grantees to share their early ideas, experiences, and plans for implementing national health reform. The Exchange included interactive group discussions and on site demonstrations. 

Please see below for session descriptions and presentations.

Exchange Experience: The Massachusetts Health Connector (click here to view presentation)

Grantees will have the opportunity to learn about the evolution of the Massachusetts Health Connector, the state’s health insurance exchange. This discussion will focus on the working relationship between the state Medicaid program and the Health Connector and will explore how this relationship will likely evolve as the state implements national health care reform. Representatives from the Connector Authority will also highlight some of their lessons learned during their experiences of developing, implementing and operating the Health Connector. All participants will have the opportunity to share their health insurance exchange development strategies.

Leveraging Technology: Massachusetts’ Experience  (click here to view presentation)

This discussion will focus on the development of both the Massachusetts Virtual Gateway, the state’s health coverage web portal, and will feature a dynamic walkthrough of the Electronic Document Management (EDM) System, which Massachusetts is currently implementing. Since most grantees have already been introduced to the Virtual Gateway through a previous monthly grantee call, this discussion will focus on Massachusetts’ decision-making process to invest in the Virtual Gateway and explore the policymaking decisions that went into its development. The Director of the Virtual Gateway will also discuss what systems upgrades Massachusetts is planning for the future. Some questions that will be discussed include:

• What should states consider when developing an eligibility and enrollment portal?
• How does the EDM interface with the Virtual Gateway?
• How will the EDM system improve the application and eligibility determination processes?

Planning Eligibility and Enrollment IT System Change: Addressing Key Threshold Issues to Implement Your “Next Generation” IT System  (click here to view presentation)

There is much to consider as states prepare their IT systems for 2014. This discussion, led by Lynn Dierker with the help of IT systems expert, John Bogasky, will highlight key threshold issues for states to consider, as well as offer suggestions for ways to approach preparing for and implementing changes to integrate states’ IT systems. There will be time for grantee states to share their own experiences, particularly related to understanding the gaps in their systems and the early strategies under consideration to ready their systems. Some questions that will shape the discussion include:

• How will your state use technology to improve the eligibility process for customers?
• Where should states begin in assessing their current systems strengths and weaknesses?
• Where should states begin in preparing for systems improvements to meet new standards that respond to existing and new coverage populations’ eligibility and enrollment needs?
• What are the key decision points and who should be involved during the development and implementation processes?
• Are any Maximizing Enrollment grantee states assessing their current IT systems capacity? If so, what have you learned about the improvements needed?
• Do grantee states have early thoughts or plans for system improvements?

Building Stakeholder Engagement: Key to Successful Culture Change  (click here to view presentation)

While policy and systems development and implementation are essential in implementing health care reform, engaging stakeholders throughout the process has proven critical in Massachusetts to enrolling those eligible for coverage. This discussion with various community stakeholders instrumental in implementing Massachusetts’ state health reform, will focus on the importance of building relationships with stakeholders and lessons learned in building those relationships. Some questions that will be addressed include:

• What are some successful strategies states can use to engage stakeholders in health care reform implementation?
• How do stakeholder partnerships contribute to successful culture change?
• What role do stakeholders have in helping states adopt new technologies?
• How will stakeholders help your state implement Health reform? 

Site Visit to Massachusetts Central Processing Unit in Charlestown (click here to view presentation)

We will travel to the Massachusetts Central Processing Unit (CPU) in Charlestown to learn the history of the CPU and the vital role it plays in the Massachusetts’ health coverage system. We will participate in an onsite tour the Massachusetts CPU and experience in real time the eligibility application process.