In Massachusetts, a principal barrier to timely, consistent health care for low- and moderate-income residents is the amount of time it takes to enroll in Massachusetts's Medicaid and SCHIP program (MassHealth). Currently, it takes an average of four to six weeks from the time a paper application is mailed to MassHealth to the time applicants are informed via postal mail as to whether they are covered. This delay in access to care can do serious harm to the health of residents and their families and can have devastating financial consequences. The time lag between application and receipt of care may be even longer than four to six weeks for clients who find they are not eligible for MassHealth. Their Outreach Workers must help them find and apply to alternative programs after MassHealth coverage is denied.
The primary aim of the three-year pilot Portable Electronic Enrollment Project (PEEP) is to reduce the time lag between application and receipt of health care for rural western Massachusetts residents. The project's goals are to help outreach workers be more efficient and effective, enroll more eligible residents in MassHealth in less time, and allow more ineligible clients find alternative coverage and care more quickly and successfully.
PEEP will equip each of seven outreach workers from six sites in rural western Massachusetts with: a PC Tablet; hardware and software for cellular and Wi-Fi Internet access; RealBenefits (Massachusetts' new online screening and enrollment application for MassHealth); a digital camera; and Community Partners' health access web site. These portable tools will give outreach workers the ability to connect to the Internet while in the field with clients ; enable them to conduct streamlined electronic screening and enrollment for MassHealth and alternative programs; and to access critical information, forms, resources, and peer technical assistance while in the field. PEEP will provide outreach workers with ongoing training in the use of all PEEP-related hardware, software, and Internet-based resources.
