A new agreement with a national consulting firm will provide needed expertise and support to the Alabama Medicaid Agency as it implements the various provisions of a new law to change the way Medicaid recipients in Alabama receive healthcare.

The $12.1 million, two-year contract with Chicago-based Navigant Consulting Inc., was approved by the Legislative Contract Review Committee on December 5 and signed by Governor Robert Bentley on December 11. The contract will supply technical assistance and support to help with program planning and design, preparation of federal waiver and State Plan amendment documents, procurement of services needed to operate in the new environment, staff training, data management, contract monitoring, quality management analysis and other needs.

“Our goal is to successfully implement a new healthcare delivery system by 2016,” said RCO Implementation Project Manager Paul Brannan. “In order to move from a fee-for-service organization to this new system of care, we must be innovative in structuring our staff and programs. Navigant has the experience and resources to support us as we make this transition.”