Case Study: Fiscal/Employer Agent Services 

The Client:
Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (VA DMAS)

The Project:
Fiscal/Employer Agent (F/EA) services to Medicaid recipients receiving consumer-directed services.

The Opportunity:
Virginia has five state waivers that allow for provision of care in the community rather than in an Intermediate Care Facility for the Mental Retarded (ICF/MR) or a nursing facility. These include Virginia’s Mental Retardation (MR) Waiver; Individual and Family Developmental Disabilities Support (DD)Waiver; HIV/Aids Waiver; Elderly Disabled with Consumer-Directed Support (EDCD) Waiver; and Early and Periodic Screening and Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Waiver. VA DMAS had been operating the program internally for three years, but realized that an experienced F/EA provider could run operations more efficiently.

The PPL Approach:
Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL) took a number of steps to streamline project operations, including:

• Publishing statewide business rules for all consumers and staff;
• Transitioning the program to new, more efficient technology platforms;
• Enforcing program requirements based on the Medicaid Waiver;
• Customizing PPL’s information technology platforms to the state’s unique program requirements;
• Providing a state-wide launch of PPL services with on-site consumer information sessions across the state to explain the transition, program requirements, and tax requirements to consumers, their employees, and service facilitators.

The Result:

• Since inception, enrollment in the program has more than doubled to 3,078 participants.
• In a recent survey of program participants, 97 percent of respondents reported satisfaction with the ability to recruit their own attendant. Some 90 percent of respondents reported satisfaction with accuracy of paychecks processed by PPL. And 93 percent would recommend consumer directed services to a friend or family member.

“In the beginning, when I had to fill out the new paperwork, everyone I talked to at PPL was extremely helpful and patient. Since then, whenever I have to call for whatever reason (good or bad), I have gotten the help I needed without problems. Thanks you.”

2007 Consumer Satisfaction Survey Respondent

“Consumer directed seems to be the way to go. I have advised several families to go this route. Thank you!”

2007 Consumer Satisfaction Survey Respondent