The Health Services Department is requesting an extension for the temporary employment of our medical provider retirees, including Exempt Medical Staff-Physicians Dr. Harvey and Dr. Hamilton; Exempt Medical Staff-Dentist Dr. Cavallaro; and former Health Plan Sales/Outreach Manager Wendy Mailer. These retirees have worked since their initial approved 180-day waiver exemption, and the Department is requesting a continuation of their temporary employment in order to meet increased patient volume demand and the continuity of care for Medi-Cal recipients who are re-enrolling in the County's Health Plan.
Dr. Harvey was originally hired on September 1, 1994, and retired on July 31, 2014. After 20 years with the County as an Exempt Medical Staff-Physician, she continues her medical practice as a family physician and HIV specialist assigned to the West County Health Clinic. Her temporary employment is critical to seeing increased patient load as there have been continued demand for access to health care as a result from increased Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP) membership enrollment.
Dr. Hamilton was originally hired on May 17, 1989, and retired on June 30, 2016. As an Exempt Medical Staff-Physician, she is providing medical consultation for the California Children's Services (CCS) Program for Public Health. Her temporary employment is critical in ensuring and meeting the complex service requirements of the CCS eligibility criteria for medical services to children up to the age of 21.
Dr. Cavallaro was originally hired on May 1, 1977, and retired on March 31, 2016. As an Exempt Medical Staff-Dentist, he is assigned to various health centers in Martinez, Pittsburg, Bay Point and West County to provide critically needed dental care to our patients. In addition, Dr. Cavallaro also provides coverage for those dentists who are on scheduled and unscheduled leaves. His temporary employment is necessary to meet the increased patient load due to continued demand for access to health care and increased CCHP membership.
Wendy Mailer was originally hired on September 1, 1994, and retired as the Health Plan Sales/Outreach Manager on October 31, 2013. After 26 years working for the CCHP, Ms. Mailer's work and expertise is vitally important to the requirement for continuity of care for Medi-Cal members who are undergoing re-determination process. In addition, there are changes for the years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 in the Medi-Cal eligibility under the new Federal mandates which may result in losing up to 60,000 Medi-Cal members if the beneficiaries are not properly advised on keeping their Medi-Cal benefits. This can result in a significant financial loss to the health plan and the Department. Ms. Mailer's experience and expertise in working with this population and her coordinated efforts working closely with the Employment and Human Services Department, is critical in maintaining the enrollment of these health plan members. Furthermore, Ms. Mailer is responsible for the maintenance of the CCHP website and the Department's ISITE website with regards to state and federal mandates, and continues to work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health Services on regulatory matter for CCHP.
Due to the increased volume of patient care demand and continuing re-enrollment of members within the County's Health Plan, the Department is requesting to extend the temporary employment of retirees Dr. Harvey, Dr. Hamilton, Dr. Cavallaro, and Wendy Mailer in the Health Services Department.
If this action is not approved, the Department will be challenged with providing medical staff providers to meet patient care demand in our health care system, and not have an expert in the re-enrollment process of Medi-Cal members in the County's Health Plan.