Child Care Administrator’s Improper Payments Information Technology Guide

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B. Profile of System Solutions (continued)

3. Edits on Existing Applications for Authorization and Payment

A number of States address improper payments by placing edits on the authorization and payment functions. These software edits match the demographic characteristics of the household against the State policy and approved rates to ensure the accuracy of benefit issuance.

a. How the Solution Addresses Improper Payments

The solution addresses the challenges of preventing and identifying improper payments by:

• Eliminating manual updates to client and provider information;
• Providing global viewing capabilities for case and provider-related reports;
• Using edits during the intake process to ensure accurate data entry;
• Maintaining waiting lists when funding is not available;
• Capturing data for Federal reporting requirements;
• Monitoring budget allocations;
• Managing caseload functions such as case reviews and recertifications; and
• Communicating client and provider changes to other offices, including State, county, and vendors, such as. MAXIMUS, Inc. ( Georgia's child care program subsidy program contractor).

b. Example System Name and State

MAXSTAR, Georgia

c. Implementation Overview

Since July 2000, the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) contracted with MAXIMUS, Inc. to manage and issue child care subsidy payments to child care providers. This service is known as Child Care and Parent Services (GACAPS) and is currently in 134 counties throughout the State.

Within the GACAPS counties, DFCS case managers determine eligibility manually and authorize DFCS subsidy payments by entering client and provider information into MAXIMUS’ automated system called MAXSTAR®. After the DFCS case manager authorizes the payment, MAXIMUS monitors the use of allowable providers, facilitates invoicing of service costs, issues payments to child care providers, and provides data for State and Federal reporting requirements. MAXIMUS also works closely with the Office of Family Independence, Child Care Unit to ensure compliance with State and Federal policy requirements.

The GACAPS service or system does not provide case management capability. The MAXSTAR system issues payments and provides monitoring and compliance reporting capability only; it does not determine client eligibility, authorize payments or provide interfaces to other systems. Georgia plans to expand the GACAPS service from 134 counties to all 159 counties during 2007.

d. Costs

Georgia was unable to provide cost information for MAXSTAR.

e. Challenges

Although Georgia did not report specific challenges for the purposes of this guide, most major systems initiatives face common challenges including:

• Identifying sufficient resources for up-front system investment and for ongoing contract monitoring;
• Providing adequate training for system users;
• Testing to ensure that system defects are eliminated before system implementation; and
• Providing help desk support for users.

f. Benefits

Solution benefits include:

• Issuing payments according to policy and regulations;
• Increasing payment accuracy and timeliness;
• Saving State staff time spent processing payments;
• Compiling and tracking client and provider information for program and payment accuracy monitoring; and
• Processing and handling providers’ monthly invoices, payment, and billing calls.