Have any ideas on how to move the government into the 21st century? Then federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra wants to hear from you.Chaired by Chopra and Sam Karp, the HIT Policy Committee’s Enrollment Workgroup is asking the public for help with information on how to transition the government into the 21st century. The ONC FACA Blog is open until July 1, 2010, for comments on eligibility and enrollment systems that are making or will make applying for health or human services as easy as using the Internet.
In January, President Barack Obama spoke about how improving the technology the U.S. government uses is not about having “the fanciest bells and whistles on our websites – it’s about how we use the American people’s hard-earned tax dollars to make government work better for them.†Now, six months later, the newly formed Enrollment Workgroup has begun the discussion of how to bring eligibility determination and enrollment in health and human services programs into the 21st century.
In a statement, Chopra and Karp wrote about the critical need for an eligibility and enrollment system that will make applying for health insurance and other human service programs as easy as using the Internet to pay for bills or file income taxes.
“It should be possible to apply for programs online, easily obtain the documents and information needed to confirm eligibility, and re-use this information to apply for a variety of programs, and re-certify your eligibility when the time comes,” they wrote. ” We need your help to uncover the examples, insights and best practices that will make this effort successful.
The Enrollment Workgroup is looking for insight on a wide range of topics, including government initiatives to simplify and streamline eligibility and enrollment in health and human services programs. Individuals are also encouraged to share their perspectives of more technology-oriented issues such as which interfaces to use in obtaining electronic verification information and what standards to adopt.
To follow up on the June 14 Enrollment Workgroup’s first meeting and public hearing and to elicit further public comment, the FACA Blog is open for comments until July 1. Comments can be submitted on the blog website or emailed to: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov.
