Utah

1
Utahs Finance System Planning

• 2007 National OSEP Early Childhood Conference
• December 3, 2007

2
Utahs EI Programs, By County

• 29 counties
• Contracts with 15 provider agencies
• Yearly grants based on non Medicaid child count

3
Fiscal Resources
4
Utahs Recent Experience in Financial Planning

• Attended Finance Data Workshop
• 2 members of state staff
• 2 members of the ICC Finance Committee
• ICC members also coordinators of provider
  agencies

5
Team Planning at Workshop

• Developed an Action Plan with 5 Priorities
• Support State Funding Request
• Maximize Medicaid Revenue
• Investigate Insurance Billing
• Conduct an EI Cost Study
• Investigate EI Foundation

6
RESULTS State Funding Request

• New players, i.e., Governor, Health Dept.
  Director, Fiscal Analysts at Gov. Office and
  Legislature
• Providers and parents met with all
• Took Legislative Analyst on field visit
• Letter writing campaign
• Testimony during Legislative Session
• Baby Watch received full request of 2,317,900!
• 35 increase in state allocation

7
RESULTS Maximize Medicaid Revenue

• Conducted Medicaid Survey
• Found inconsistent Medicaid billing practices
• Found differing provider resources for billing
• Developing Data system capacity for eligibility
  status
• Interagency agreement to exchange data with
  Medicaid agency
• Interagency project to develop more specific
  policies
• Will result in capturing at least 100,000 in
  revenue

8
RESULTS Investigate Insurance Billing

• Gathered information from other states
• Collected Utah data on estimated number of
  children with insurance
• Met with State Insurance Division
• Analyzed profitability and political climate
• Determined not financially beneficial at this
  time

9
RESULTS Conduct EI Cost Study

• Reviewed other states cost studies
• Analyzed our own needs
• Determined we should first look at Medicaid
  collections and billing practices

10
RESULTS Investigate EI Foundation

• Legislator proposed tax on beer
• Not pursued to end of legislative session
• May reintroduce?
• Other grant possibilities
• Researching mechanism within Lead Agency
• Evaluating capacity to seek grants and donations

11
Lessons Learned

• Having a plan is essential
• Vehicle for assignments
• Keeps you on track
• Maintains mechanism for accountability
• Strike where iron is hottest
• Events may not happen in logical planning order
• Consider timing

12
Lessons Learned

• Involve stakeholders
• Data system is critical
• Follow unanticipated paths
• Plan may lead to unanticipated paths, i.e.
• Population estimates by EI provider agency
• Trade action for moaning