Medicaid Eligibility Workers
In NYS, local district staff determine Medicaid eligibility, based on policy developed by the NYS Department of Health, Office of Medicaid Management. Since 1979, the NYS Public Health Insurance Training Institute (formerly known as the Medicaid Training Institute) has been working with State and local staff to develop and conduct training in eligibility determinations. This effort has increased the effectiveness and efficiency of eligibility determinations and has reduced errors throughout the state.

Facilitated Enrollers
Child Health Plus
In 2000, NYS launched an initiative to reduce the number of uninsured children in the state. Two eligibility programs were made available:

Medicaid, which provides medical coverage for low income children
Child Health Plus B, which is the NYS Children’s Health Insurance Program for those under 19 years of age who are not eligible for Medicaid and are uninsured

One aspect of this initiative was to seek out those children in non-traditional sites and at non-traditional times (outside the local departments of social services and outside of normal business hours). Enrollment Facilitators who serve as staff of managed care plans and community-based organizations are trained to conduct eligibility interviews and screening conducted this outreach.

Family Health Plus
In 2001, the Family Health Plus Program was introduced for adults who are less than 65 years of age and who are not eligible for Medicaid. This initiative also utilized the Facilitated Enrollment outreach.

Other Projects
The NYS Public Health Insurance Training Institute also develops materials such as these:

• Manuals on specialized eligibility situations, including the Long Term Home Health Care Program and Care at Home: A Handbook for Parents
• Videos to educate eligibility staff and inform consumers
• Self-instructional video/workbook packages
• Web-based learning and enhancements of existing e-learning sites