Governor Announces Advanced System To Monitor Medicaid, KidCare To Raise Efficiency, Reduce Fraud

SPRINGFIELD - Governor George H. Ryan today announced the state will build an advanced computer system to manage Illinois' $6 billion medical assistance programs.

"This leading-edge technology will give Illinois the tools to improve the quality of health care provided to Illinois families while protecting the interest of taxpayers," said Ryan. "The system will place Illinois among the nation's leaders in managing medical assistance programs.

"The new system will give the state the ability to retrieve and analyze huge volumes of information in minutes rather than days with current capabilities. With this information, the state can make more informed decisions about the quality and scope of health care, more readily detect fraud and abuse and more efficiently control costs."

The system, called a data warehouse, will be used by the Illinois Department of Public Aid to administer Medicaid and KidCare, programs which provide health coverage to nearly 1.4 million persons each month. The department processes 25.7 million medical claims per year and tracks nearly 50,00 medical providers.

State Public Aid Director Ann Patla said, "This data warehouse will help the department make decisions and establish policies based on the use of its programs. The system, for example, will tell the department more quickly what levels of care children receive in Chicago, compared to downstate communities."

The department has signed a contract with Bull Worldwide Information Systems of Billerica, Mass., for $28 million, for the data warehouse, which will begin operation next year. Bull, which operates similar data warehouses in Michigan and Minnesota, will provide the hardware, software and services to build the data warehouse.

"We are extremely pleased that Illinois has the confidence in our ability to assist the state in providing ongoing quality medical care and to reduce fraud and abuse," said Jack Ginsburg, vice president of Bull's Public Sector Business Unit. "Our goal always is to provide customized solutions that meet the specific needs and priorities of agencies from state to state. The Department of Public Aid has a visionary approach to using technology to help address public policy issues, and we're proud to work with the agency in this endeavor."

For more information from Bull Worldwide Information Systems, contact Steve Puleo at 978/294-6418.