Madison – My Coverage Plan, Inc., a for-profit subsidiary of Madison-based non-profit ABC for Health, Inc., secured a major Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant of up to $1.6 million over 5 years from the National Institutes of Health, Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. My Coverage Plan, Inc., is an early stage company developing disruptive technology solutions to reduce health disparities. Our local provider partner is St Mary’s hospital in Madison. “Our health care revenue cycle technology and solutions provide a win for patients and providers and promotes Madison as a leading developer of Precision Patient Advocacy™ technology,” says Bobby Peterson, founder and President of My Coverage Plan, Inc.

My Coverage Plan, Inc., www.mycoverageplan.com, founded in 2010 with a separate SBIR grant, secured a patent in 2012 on a software application that that acts like TurboTax® but for health coverage. The tool screens, identifies, and optimizes current and future public and private healthcare coverage and generates an electronic health coverage record. Improper alignment of health care coverage exacerbates medical debt issues and intensifies existing health disparities and increases costs.

The new funding promotes education strategies that reduce health disparities through workforce training that addresses the rapidly changing health care coverage program rules, requirements, and eligibility. The proposed Learning Management System (LMS) software called GURULZ™, will provide an initial assessment of trainees and establish a web based on-demand curriculum to train and maintain workforce competency about health coverage program rules and requirements. The GURULZ™ LMS system evolved from corporate parent ABC for Health, Inc. (ABC), HealthWatch Wisconsin, and training programs for Patient Advocates, Health Benefits Counselors, and Attorneys who help low income people identify and optimize health coverage. “Some folks called ABC staff the ‘gurus of health coverage rules,’ so GURULZ™ is our creative mash-up of that specific expertise,” said Peterson. “Pro-active patient engagement with trained and competent staff promotes better health outcomes, improves customer service, and enhances community health all while reducing uncompensated care. In 2014, uncompensated care totaled over $1.3 billion in Wisconsin. We can do much better,” said Peterson.

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