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January 21, 2013 By Colin Wood
One man's effort in Washington state to help veterans find federal benefits has grown into independent efforts by dozens of states. Repurposing an existing reporting tool, states are not only connecting veterans to better benefits, but also saving millions in Medicaid costs.
Washington state's Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) allowed them to identify war veterans who were enrolled in Medicaid but not taking advantage of federal veterans' benefits. The state then notified them of the benefits to which they were entitled, and moved them off of state Medicaid and onto federal programs.
Since 2004, Washington state has saved more than $30 million using this system, while helping veterans get access to more comprehensive care.
History of PARIS
PARIS, a 20-year-old system operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, was originally intended to help states identify Medicaid recipients who were cheating the system by applying for benefits in multiple states.
In 2002, Bill Allman, then an employee of the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, began looking for a way to see if the veterans he was helping were eligible for federal veterans' benefits.
The information he was looking for was in PARIS. Using the system in a way no one had thought to try before, Allman, now the president of PARIS, realized savings for his state and greater benefits for the veterans he was helping. Allman launched the Veterans Benefit Enhancement Project, now a core component of PARIS. He now advises more than 30 states looking to realize the same savings he found for the state of Washington.
“Medicaid dollars, particularly long-term medicaid dollars, are going up at the rate of 200 to 250 percent," Allman said. "By 2015, it will go up by 300 percent."
As Medicaid costs rise and an increasing number of veterans are unable to pay back their long-term care Medicaid loans, the state is often forced to put liens on veterans' homes. There's no reason for veterans to be put in a position like that, Allman said, especially when they may not need to be on Medicaid in the first place. “When we tell them about the benefits they're entitled to, they always say the same thing,” Allman said. “They say, 'Why did no one tell me about this before?'"
Following the PARIS mandate
All states are now required to participate in PARIS, per a 2010 mandate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Naturally, states want to get the most out of the system they are required to use, by following Allman's lead. “I want every state to do this,” Allman said. With the Affordable Care Act, Allman pointed out, states will need to offer health care options to all citizens anyway, so it would be in the states' best interest to shift some of the support to the federal level.
California ran a pilot program from 2009 to 2011. Limited to a handful of counties, the pilot focused on veterans classified as 100 percent disabled, saving the state $1.6 million. A report on the pilot deemed the program cost-efficient and suggested that it be expanded.
One of the biggest challenges in California was dealing with large sets of overlapping data. While more than 16,000 matches were initially identified as potentially eligible to be moved to federal benefits, duplicates and other complications reduced that number to just 4,000. Of those, just 990 veterans were contacted to gather further information on their eligibility. In the end, just 24 veterans were taken off Medi-Cal and moved to federal benefits. The savings to the state were significant, however, and the veterans also benefitted as they could now pay living expenses with VA benefits, which never need to be repaid.
The program continues to be effective in California, but Manuel Urbina of the California Department of Health and Human Services Medi-Cal Eligibility Division said the state needs dedicated personnel in order to expand implementation. “For this to be successful,” Urbina said, “the state experience has been that you need people to do dedicated case management. ... The return on investment equation is there. We didn't invest hardly anything, and we got this large return, so the potential is there.”
Additional outreach needed
What the Veterans Benefit Enhancement Project does is very basic, Allman said. The program is simply identifying veterans who would benefit from federal funding and then educating them. The problem for states is identifying who those veterans are. A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 62 percent of veterans may be eligible for enhanced monthly VA benefits, but only 22 percent of veterans receive those benefits. The GAO recommended that the VA conduct more focused outreach to educate veterans in order to address the disparity.
“It bothers me that states don't do outreach on their own or that the VA doesn't do some kind of national campaign to help veterans understand what the benefits are,” Allman said. “So I think it's up to the states to do the outreach for the VA.” Being a veteran himself, and passionate about helping people, Allman said that the money states can save through this program has always been a secondary consideration to him. He concedes, however, that the potential savings is compelling motivation for states to educate their veterans and consider adopting his system.
You may use or reference this story with attribution and a link to
http://www.govtech.com/Veterans-Access-Federal-Benefits-Save-States-Millions.html
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I understand that we've saved a few million in our first year with this program! My counterpart in Wi has had similar results! For us that meant that over 200 veterans were identified that are now receiving Federal benefits that they were entitled to! Watch how fast this program expands on a national level!
Let me get this straight. A state program that performs outreach to deserving veterans and family members while reducing state Medicaid expenditures! Isn't this a win-win effort? What is the debate for not implementing this? GREAT program Washington State!!!
Why doesn't the Federal government help this guy and our deserving men and women who served out by standing behind this program in a concerted and comprehensive way?? Never mind....that was a stupid question!
Mr. Obama......Hire this guy!,
The reason the V.A. doesn't care is by having veterans use the STATE SYSTEM they are able to keep the TOTAL COST of CARING FOR VETERANS HIDDEN FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. That is why the V.A. is so UNDER-FUNDED because vets had to use Social Security Disability or STATE BENEFITS to get care. Go to www.veterancourtcodes.com and read about SECRET code on veterans and WHY they don't get the care.
first off, yeah for the veterans who are getting necessary/needed benefits ......... . on the flip side of this, I don't understand the logic of this being a savings for a state. okay, maybe for the first couple of years until other states catch on. fast forward a few years, 50 states taking advantage of this system in this way (again, great for the vets) and now you have more people receiving more benefits than before in ALL 50 STATES...do these services become less expensive now that they're through the Federal program? Don't you think there will be an overall impact to taxes?
I know that you have worked so hard to get these benefits to the veterans who are so deserving. Cudos to you Bill, job well done.
Exactly AR-15. I'm all for veterans getting the benefits they qualify for and I thank them for their service to our country. However, while this may save the States money, it will cost the Federal government more money. Aren't both entities funded by tax payers?
AR15 is one of those that couldn't wait to send our troops into harms way and wants to "thank" them by merely typing the word in a comment that reflects his and others real Thanks"! Taxes and political opinions regarding them have no place in this discussion! We promised our troops medical benefits upon their return and we are obligated as a nation to provide them! That was our promise to them and we have an obligation to find them and "Thank" them ivy providing the medical care they were GUARANTEED". This is a federal benefit that the federal government is obligated to provide. Why should state governments be handed a federal obligation, particularly when the veteran's family is obligated to repay the state for all Long term care related medicaid expenses! On the other hand, the VA benefits that we promised them do not have to be repaid.....and they are entitled to them! God forbid if you should have to pay even a dollar more in federal taxes to truly "thank" them! After all, you already "thanked" them by having to actually type the word in your comment....Jewish what do these needy veterans want already! Perhaps you might as enthusiastically support any effort such as the brilliant one in this story as you no doubt did the position to send our troops into battle at the drop of a hat. The readers see through you and already are sure of one thing.....AR15 is not a veteran.......and we could see why!!!!
Both AR15 and "G-Man" are obviously the offspring of those that "thanked" our Vietnam heroes when they returned from battle and needed help.Want to guess how that worked for those vets? I just love how the above state that FIRST, we want to thank our veterans, our men and women that served us well..............but not if it means I may have to end up ponying even 50 cents more of a federal tax dollar! Can't you just imagine what these two look like! Wait, you wouldn't want to. Now I want to not only thank our brave men and women who served us courageously, but to Mr. Allman as well! It appears that he has the courage to put together a program that truly makes a difference...and no doubt has many AR15s and "G-Men" that have stood and continue to stand in his way trying to block any concerted effort to identify and facilitate benefits for those that are entitled to them....and desperately need them. AR15 and G-Man could crawl back into their hole and wait for another tax dollar story to vent their rage on.
With all due respect Lt. Col. Blanchard, I think my comment was misunderstood. I'm not outraged at all. I'm all for paying the veterans what they're due and I have no problem with it being my tax dollars. I was simply stating that there is no real "savings". Either the State pays or the Feds pay. BTW - my father & uncle are Marines who served in Korea. My father-in-law was a West Point grad who served in the infantry in Korea & 2 tours in Vietnam and retired as a Lt. Col. I have friends who served in Iraq & Afghanistan.
G-Man, First of all, please thank your relatives and friends for their service. There can be no greater human sacrifice than risking your life and serving your country! I believe that you miss the point with regard to the savings. By accessing VA benefits for veterans on Medicaid, the state saves their 50% portion of Medicaid dollars. This adds up, particularly with the rapidly rising long term care related Medicaid dollars that Mr. Allman mentioned. The states have to balance their budget every year, they don't have the ability of the Federal government to move forward with a budget deficit. The other point is, as I understand it, these long term care related Medicaid expenditures have to be repaid to the states by the Medicaid veteran's family, usually with a lien on their home. Why would a veteran want his family to be responsible to repay any dollar that would have been taken care of by their VA coverage, or the increased monthly monetary benefits that I believe this program facilitates as well? I hope that this answers your question and sheds some light on what an innovative program Mr. Allman has put together. If anything, you should be looking into whether your state is one of those that Mr. Allman is apparently assisting.
Lt. Col. - I obviously didn't fully understand the issue. Thanks for the clarification. I need to work on my reading comprehension! I laud Mr. Allman in his quest to get things right.