The 2005 hurricanes along the Gulf Coast caused devastation that affected many ValueOptions members and providers. Many members had little or no access to care and numerous providers were left without a practice.

“To ensure that our covered members had access to available providers, as well as to ensure our providers’ well-being,” says Deb Adler, executive vice president of National Network Operations, “we conducted a variety of proactive activities.” These included:

• Posted information to the ValueOptions Web site to provide information about disaster-relief resources.

• Asked ValueOptions network providers in surrounding states and counties who were not impacted by Hurricane Katrina to partner with ValueOptions in assisting displaced members.

• Contacted all licensing boards in contiguous states affected by the hurricanes (Texas, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, etc.) to determine if and how these boards were allowing displaced providers to have “interim” reciprocity to practice.

• Temporarily revised mailing procedures and timelines to help displaced providers who needed additional time to respond to ValueOptions’ credentialing and/or claims correspondence.

• Worked with clients to link ValueOptions’ network providers with its members. Some of ValueOptions’ client companies set up space in available hotels for their members in the affected region. ValueOptions was able to place some providers in these temporary housing arrangements to provide priority treatment for its members.

• Developed regional activities to determine the accessibility and availability of ValueOptions’ providers as well as to ensure data accuracy. These activities were specific to the Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and are described below.

Immediate outreach to providers

In the initial aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we were focused on helping the members who were currently receiving services and the providers rendering those services. ValueOptions identified 297 providers who had an open authorization at the time of Hurricane Katrina for the affected areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The regional provider relations team attempted to contact these providers via fax, e-mail and telephone. The goal was to determine if the providers were still able to provide services and, if so, where—whether at their current location or at a displaced location, either temporarily or permanently.

Subsequent follow-up

In March 2006, the provider relations team contacted each of the 297 providers again. At that time, 283 providers were open for business, six were displaced and seven were unknown.

Additional analysis revealed that network access after Hurricane Katrina remained the same in the Gulf Coast areas as it had during the period prior to the event or had improved, with one exception.

“We continue to evaluate and analyze our network for all 50 U.S. states, and implement recruitment action plans as needed,” explains Ms. Adler. “Much of the minimal shift in network access for the four Gulf coast states can be attributed to recruitment that took place in 2005 as a result of these reviews.”

Recovery for ValueOptions members and providers impacted by the hurricanes is still underway. We continuously look for ways to help add relief to those impacted.