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The Florida Senate

2013 Florida Statutes

Title XXIX PUBLIC HEALTH
Chapter 408 HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION Entire Chapter
SECTION 915
Eligibility pilot project.
F.S. 408.915
408.915 Eligibility pilot project.—The Agency for Health Care Administration, in consultation with the steering committee established in s. 408.916, shall develop and implement a pilot project to integrate the determination of eligibility for health care services with information and referral services.
(1) The pilot project shall operate in one or more contiguous counties, as selected by the agency in consultation with the steering committee.
(2) The pilot project shall focus on developing, to the maximum extent possible, a process for eligibility application which:
(a) Uses a single uniform electronic application process, but permits applying for health services through various entry points, including information and referral providers, state agency program personnel or contracted providers, the mail, or the Internet;
(b) Is linked to a shared database that will have the capability to sort or store information by families as well as individuals;
(c) Permits electronic input and storage of data and electronic verification and exchange of information;
(d) Is compliant with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as well as all other applicable state and federal confidentiality, financial, and insurance requirements;
(e) Includes an initial screening component for referring applicants to other health and human services programs provided through state agencies and the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, including programs addressing developmental delays, developmental disabilities, chronic physical illness, mental health needs, substance abuse treatment needs, elder and aging needs, and other health care needs; and
(f) Includes the level of customer service available to applicants and participants in the pilot project.
(3) The information and referral provider in the site selected as the pilot project shall, at a minimum:
(a) Execute a memorandum of understanding with the local community volunteer placement centers;
(b) Implement, or be in the process of implementing, a shared, web-based, information and eligibility database with community health providers and funders;
(c) Provide comprehensive information and referral services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week;
(d) Agree, in writing, to become accredited within 3 years by a nationally recognized information and referral accrediting agency;
(e) Execute a memorandum of understanding with 911 and other emergency response agencies in the pilot area;
(f) Implement policies and structured training to effectively respond to crisis calls or obtain accreditation by a nationally recognized mental health or crisis accrediting agency;
(g) Obtain teletypewriter and multi-language accessibility, either onsite or through a translation service; and
(h) Develop resources to support and publicize information and referral services and provide ongoing education to the public on the availability of such services.
(4) The pilot project shall include eligibility determinations for the following programs:
(a) Medicaid under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.
(b) Medikids as created in s. 409.8132.
(c) Florida Healthy Kids as described in s. 624.91 and within eligibility guidelines provided in s. 409.814.
(d) Eligibility for Florida Kidcare services outside of the scope of Title XIX or Title XXI of the Social Security Act as provided in s. 409.814.
(e) State and local publicly funded health and social services programs as determined appropriate by the steering committee.
(5) If the Secretary of Health Care Administration, in consultation with the steering committee established in s. 408.916, determines that it would facilitate operation of the pilot project to obtain federal waiver authority, the appropriate state agency shall request such waiver authority from the appropriate federal agency.
History.—s. 4, ch. 2002-223; s. 116, ch. 2010-102.