Washington, DC – The Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), the District’s Medicaid Agency, is moving forward with implementing two initiatives that will help ensure that DC HealthCare Alliance (Alliance) benefits are only received by those eligible for the program. The Alliance is the District’s health insurance program for residents with modest income.
DHCF has worked with the DC Department of Human Services Income Maintenance Administration (IMA) to improve the process of verifying DC residency. In addition, DHCF has clarified the Alliance regulations to target the program to DC residents that are truly uninsured.
“While other jurisdictions have been forced to cut or cap their programs, we are pleased that the District is preserving options for low-income residents,” said Dr. Julie Hudman, Director of the Department of Health Care Finance. “Maintaining the integrity of the Alliance program is critical to ensuring its long-term sustainability during these tough economic times. We will continue to work with our sister agencies and stakeholders to find innovative and responsible ways to ensure that our most vulnerable populations can access the care they need.”
Currently, there are multiple options through which an Alliance applicant can prove DC residency, including: DC Drivers License or Non-Drivers ID; lease or deed; utility bill; DC Voter Registration Card and a letter from a verifiable source. The most commonly used method of verifying residency has been a letter from a verifiable source.
The newly created Proof of DC Residency Form* will streamline and standardize the way in which Alliance applicants may prove DC residency under this option. The form allows another District resident or a non-profit social-services organization to verify that the applicant lives in the District.
In addition, DHCF is implementing regulations preserving the Alliance program for DC residents that have no other forms of health coverage. Applicants eligible for Medicaid or Medicare or who have private health insurance will no longer be eligible for Alliance benefits.
In August and September, outreach will be conducted by DHCF and IMA to notify the approximately 365 affected beneficiaries on Medicare that their Alliance coverage will conclude on September 30, 2009. Information is also being provided highlighting resources in the community that can help members best utilize benefits under Medicare. An additional approximately 160 beneficiaries that have private insurance will also receive notice that their eligibility for the Alliance will cease on September 30, 2009.
To prepare medical providers and social service organizations for these changes to Alliance eligibility, DHCF will be providing technical assistance through a series of brown bag lunch community meetings in August and September. Below is the current schedule:
| Date |
Location |
Time |
| Wednesday, August 19 |
So Others Might Eat (SOME)
71 O St., NW |
Noon - 1 pm |
| Wednesday, August 26 |
Trinidad Playground Recreation Center
1310 Childress St., NE, Classroom |
Noon - 1 pm |
| Thursday, August 27 |
Bread for the City
1640 Good Hope Rd., SE |
Noon - 1 pm |
| Tuesday, September 1 |
Mount Pleasant Library
3160 16th St., NW |
Noon - 1 pm |
| Wednesday, September 2 |
Unity Clinic at Congress Heights
3720 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE
Conference Room |
Noon - 1 pm |
| Thursday, September 3 |
Planned Parenthood
3933 Minnesota Ave., NE |
Noon - 1 pm |
| Wednesday, September 9 |
Carl Vogel
1012 14th St., NW, Suite 700 |
Noon - 1 pm |
Anyone who has more information or would like to report possible Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse should contact the District’s Medicaid Fraud Hotline at 1 (877) 632-2873.