Common Eligibility

A coordinated system established to support access to and enrollment in medical assistance, economic, and human services programs, including (but not limited to) Food Stamps, Medicaid, Health Care District, Florida KidCare Insurance Program and the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program.

Once screened and found eligible through the Medicaider screening tool, clients are assigned navigators (case managers) who complete in-depth eligibility interviews either on-site or in the home and provide assistance, support and follow-up to clients during the application process. The navigator's role is to ensure that all forms are completed and that required documentation is included in the application package. Navigators also serve as liaisons between the clients and the health care safety net programs and continue to follow cases until closed which can include taking children and families to WIC enrollment/re-enrollment appointments and prenatal care visits. The Alliance has also assigned individual staff navigators to serve as program liaisons to each of the partner agencies.

Currently, there are over 20 organizations actively participating in this initiative. The majority of organizations complete the online screening process with the enrollment follow-up activities done by the Alliance and in collaboration with several other partner organizations.

Screening and Enrollment Statistics
From March 1, 2007 through June, 2008, the Common Eligibility Screening & Health System Navigation Initiative through the Alliance’s navigators (2.5 FTEs) “case managed” over 6,000 individuals (children and adults) through the enrollment process. Out of this number the Alliance Navigators were able to successfully enroll over 4,500 clients into health care programs or third party payer sources. The remaining cases were closed for one of the following reasons: (1) did not want to apply; (2) did not respond to our phone calls or letters; (3) moved; (4) not a resident of Palm Beach County; (5) did not provide required documents/verification; (6) did not qualify; or (7) are deceased.