At BeneLynk, we believe that the success of a Dual Eligible Advocacy service is measured by the member experience and by the increase in members getting and retaining dual Medicare/Medicaid benefits. There have been vendors helping Medicare Advantage members sign up for Medicaid benefits for decades. So what makes BeneLynk special? I believe it is our commitment to helping not just the obviously eligible members get benefits but helping everyone get the benefits they are entitled to receive.
As the AVP of Government Relations charged with building and maintaining relationships with state Medicaid offices, I am proud that my department is a key contributor to increasing dual participation.
Our goal is to work in partnership with state Medicaid administrations. As a good partner to these agencies our goals are to:
- Have a thorough understanding of states’ eligibility and enrollment policies and procedures. We are tasked with being subject matter experts who understand the various Medicaid pathways and application requirements. We work closely with our operations and IT Departments to ensure our processes are aligned with state requirements, and monitor state changes for operational impacts.
- Serve as a liaison to these agencies. At BeneLynk, we pride ourselves on being a good partner to all stakeholders. I want the state Medicaid agencies to know who I am, and that our goal is to work together on behalf of our mutual members. Since our services are provided nationwide, we are uniquely positioned to share information about other states’ best practices to expand eligibility and streamline enrollment processes
- Ensure the applications we submit contain complete and accurate information. Our Quality Assurance team reviews every application before it is submitted to the Medicaid agency to confirm all required information is provided and it accurately reflects the information the member provided. The Quality Assurance team also monitors calls for all advocates to ensure they are leading with help and following company policies and procedures
Successful government relations, like dual eligible advocacy itself, is driven by a willingness to do the work. We help to ensure that everyone gets the benefits they deserve by helping them to complete the correct application forms and submitting them to the state on their behalf. Our members designate BeneLynk as their Medicaid authorized representative so we receive copies of their state correspondence and can assist them to provide any required verifications and request deadline extensions as needed. As our members’ authorized representative, we advocate on their behalf with the state when we believe an error may have occurred, including filing appeals and representing them at fair hearings.
About the Author
As the AVP of Government Affairs, Vicki leverages over 20 years of experience with state and federal rules governing eligibility for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as well as states’ enrollment, claims processing and care delivery systems. She has worked on Medicaid and SNAP eligibility policy in the private sector as well as for state government. We are always looking to learn more and would like to hear your ideas on how best to assist members in need. Drop us a note at Sales@BeneLynk.com