Engaging Public Health Insurance Consumers Through Social Media
-MAXIMUS Teams with the South Carolina Department of Health and
Human
Services to Present a Case Study at the Medicaid Managed Care
Congress-
RESTON, Va. & COLUMBIA, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MAXIMUS
(NYSE:MMS), a leading provider of government services worldwide,
announced today that the Company and the South Carolina Department
of
Health and Human Services will co-present a case study on engaging
public health insurance program participants using social media at
the
upcoming Medicaid Managed Care Congress.
?We are continuously looking for new ways to bring added
value to our
clients by improving outreach and education efforts to program
participants?
The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has
been
working with MAXIMUS, the Medicaid managed care enrollment
counselor for
the South Carolina Healthy Connections Choices program, on a
demonstration project to examine the usefulness of social media
technologies for outreach to low-income populations. The
demonstration
project, in partnership with the MAXIMUS Center for Health
Literacy, has
been successful in providing health and enrollment information to
consumers and program stakeholders who are actively engaged in
social
media networks.
Jeff Stensland, Director of Communications for the South Carolina
Department of Health and Human Services, and Sunaina Menawat,
Manager of
Business Development for MAXIMUS Health Services, will present
their
case study entitled ?Utilize Social Media for Greater Member
Engagement,
Communication and a Broader Reach.? Stensland and Menawat will
present
the demonstration project from its inception, the methodology and
the
social media tools used, and preliminary results. They will also
discuss
social media in the broader context of engagement and
communication.
?One of the things I like about the demonstration project is that
it
tests the notion that lower-income people are somehow disconnected
from
the changes occurring in mass media. The project?s use of social
media
allowed us to interact with our members in new ways,? Stensland
commented. ?Members saw that we established a presence on the
social
media sites they regularly frequent, offering them a new way to
get
information, offer instant feedback and even ask questions. We
look
forward to sharing the insight garnered from the project with the
Medicaid Managed Care community.?
?We are continuously looking for new ways to bring added value to
our
clients by improving outreach and education efforts to program
participants,? commented Bruce Caswell, President and General
Manager of
MAXIMUS Health Services. ?Until now, social media was often seen
as an
unconventional channel for communicating with participants of
public
health insurance programs, but this demonstration project shows
that
social media can be effectively used to reach program participants
and
help them make informed choices for improved long-term health
outcomes.?
The Medicaid Managed Care Congress will take place May 17-19,
2010, at
the Hyatt Regency in Baltimore, Maryland. The Congress brings
together
State and Federal Medicaid Officials, Medicaid Managed Care
Executives
and National Policy Experts in a collaborative environment to
create
efficiencies while improving access to high quality care.
About MAXIMUS
MAXIMUS is a leading provider of government services worldwide and
is
devoted to providing health and human services program management
and
consulting services to its clients. The Company has more than
6,500
employees located in more than 220 offices in the United States,
Canada,
Australia, the United Kingdom, and Israel. Additionally, MAXIMUS
is
included in the Russell 2000 Index and the S&P SmallCap 600
Index.
About Healthy Connections Choices
Healthy Connections Choices is part of South Carolina?s overall
Medicaid
reform plan and is designed to get a better return on the state?s
health
care investment. Through partnerships with managed care
organizations,
medical homes networks and special enrollment counselors, the
South
Carolina Department of Health and Human Services seeks to increase
care
coordination and disease prevention methods not found in
traditional
Fee-for-Service Medicaid. Those who choose to enroll in a health
plan
will also establish crucial relationships with a primary care
doctor.
For more information on SC Healthy Connections Choices, call
877.552.4642 or visit www.SCchoices.com.
MAXIMUS
Lisa Miles, 800-MAXIMUS x11637
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