Medicaid-Enhanced Benefits
While Medicare is a program designed to provide health coverage to people over the age of 65 and the disabled, Medicaid is a federal health care program for low-income citizens and resident aliens. The Medicaid Enhanced Benefits Program is managed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Under the Florida Medicaid Reform Health Plan, Florida residents enrolled in Medicaid can receive credits for engaging in healthy behaviors. Florida is the only state the offers the program.
Benefits
Florida hopes to decrease Medicaid costs through early treatment of illnesses and disease prevention. Medicaid participants can earn up to $125 in credits annually under the Medicaid Enhanced Benefits Program. These credits can be used to purchase first aid supplies, cold medication, and dental supplies. Credits may also be used for pain medications, multivitamins, antacids, baby care products, hearing aid batteries, thermometers, ear drops, and eye drops.
Types
Healthy behaviors for children include routine dental and vision exams, which qualify for a $25 credit per visit. Routine immunizations for children also qualify for $25 in Florida Medicaid credits. Children earn an additional $25 credit for going to all of their primary care appointments. Adults can earn $15 in credits by going to all of their primary care appointments. Adults earn $25 in enhanced Medicaid credits per screening for colorectal screenings (to identify color cancer), mammograms (to detect breast cancer), and PAP smears (to identify cervical cancer). Regular vision exams qualify for $15 in credits, while preventative dental care qualifies for $25 in enhanced Medicaid benefits. Weight loss programs, exercise programs, and smoking and alcohol cessation program all qualify for $25 in credit per program. If a Florida Medicaid recipient has diabetes, asthma, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, or congestive heart failure disease and enrolls in an illness management program, the patient receives $25 in credit for healthy behavior.
Enroll
All patients currently in a Florida Medicaid Reform Health Plan are automatically enrolled in the Enhanced Benefits Account Program. All doctor's visits and procedures are reported to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration automatically, as Medicaid forms are filled out by the health care provider and sent to the agency for compensation. For illness management or cessation programs, Florida Medicaid recipients must fill out an Enhanced Benefits Universal Form, as these programs are rarely covered by Medicaid. Patients have one year to submit a Universal Form to their local agency office.
Claim
Enhanced benefit Medicaid credits are credited no longer than 90 days from the time that the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration receives claim forms. The agency will send out a letter for each credit earned, and these credits will be deposited on the first day of the month. After earning a credit, participating Medicaid recipients may spend their credits at a pharmacy that accepts Medicaid. At the pharmacy, these recipients will have to show their Florida Medicaid ID number and driver's license or state ID at the time of purchase.
Tags: Florida Medicaid, Enhanced Benefits, Agency Health, Agency Health Care, Care Administration, Florida Agency, Florida Agency Health
