EDS Helps BreastCare Program Fight Cancer
30 Nov 2006
Managing More Than 128,000 Calls Per Year To Save Lives In Arkansas
Although the $12.7 million contract awarded to EDS might not seem large to some, the services provided by the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health's, BreastCare program are invaluable to its clients.
Beyond Claims and Call Center Services
Watch these videos to learn more about the compassionate employees who bring "the human element" to the women served by the Arkansas BreastCare program.
“Our clients often don't have doctors and are scared of what the medical profession might find wrong with them,” said Chrissy Cook, EDS' BreastCare project manager. “But when they talk with our analysts, they often develop the trust needed to seek treatment.”
The BreastCare program, which is open to women 40 and older who do not have health insurance or insurance that doesn’t cover cancer screenings, provides breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment for low-income women across the state. EDS serves as a gatekeeper for women enrolled in the program and processes the claims from providers. With a strong client focus and account intensity, EDSers have received high praise for their work on the program.
“We've had many cases where clients have credited the program with saving their lives,” Cook said.
EDS Helps Pioneer Program
Women call a toll-free number to determine if they qualify for the program. Approximately 20 screeners at the call center, employed by EDS, determine eligibility and schedule exams with a participating provider.
Managing more than 128,000 calls per year, EDS has provided the Division of Health with BreastCare services since 1999. The recent one-year contract renewal has six one-year options.
Before EDS joined the account, most of the work for enrolling women and paying claims was manual.
“It was a very slow and expensive process,“ said Barbara Hager, BreastCare program director for the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health. “EDS'outstanding support in automating our systems has helped us serve more needy citizens in a timely manner.”
In addition to BreastCare, EDS supports cancer treatment programs through Medicaid initiatives in several states, including Arkansas, California, Vermont, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Delaware and New Hampshire.
Arkansas Takes Proactive Approach
John Herzog, EDS client delivery executive, applauded Arkansas for taking an aggressive approach to the BreastCare program.
“Every state gets money to do this type of program, but not many states have kicked in additional money to the extent of Arkansas,“ he said. “By approving additional funds, the state allowed the hiring of EDS to administer services, which really facilitates the whole thing. A lot of states have federal money, but have a hard time developing systems and services to make it work.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Programs in every state. In Arkansas, EDS captures all data required by the CDC in a single database, enabling the state's Division of Health to compile important reports and required statistical information for the CDC.
EDS has supported the Arkansas Medicaid program as a fiscal agent since 1985 and currently administers more than $3 billion in Medicaid health benefits every year.
Herzog said since February of 1999, the Arkansas BreastCare Program has provided services to more than 39,000 women, performed 82,960 mammograms, screened more than 11,200 women for cervical cancer and has reimbursed some $15.5 million in clinical services to providers. From December 2001 until present, more than 1,340 women were diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer.
“Without a doubt, this program has saved women's lives in Arkansas,” Herzog said.