STAR Health Program for Children in Foster Care

Frequently Asked Questions

HEALTH PASSPORT

What is the Health Passport?
The Health Passport is an electronic health information system for the medical information of children in the care or custody of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).

What are some of the advantages of the Health Passport?
The Health Passport is a way to consolidate a child’s medical information and make it available to individuals who need to view it. The information compiled in the Health Passport also must be made available when a child is discharged from the state’s custody. For example, if the child is adopted, the information will be made available to the adoptive parents to help guide appropriate treatment decisions concerning the child. If the child is discharged because he or she reaches the age of 18 or is emancipated, he or she will receive the Health Passport information. This will improve the transition to independent living and enable the youth to make informed medical decisions.

The Health Passport represents a significant improvement over the status quo. By providing a consolidated format in which to view basic medical information about a child, health care outcomes can be improved.

Who is developing the Health Passport?
The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has signed a contract with Superior Health Network for the creation of a comprehensive medical services delivery model for children in DFPS conservatorship. One component of this model is the Health Passport.

What will be developed?
The Health Passport will be an electronic health information system with web-based access for authorized users. All information is password protected. Users will be able to access information through a number of screens that display information such as date of physician visits and associated diagnoses, drugs prescribed, patient allergies and immunization records.

What will the Health Passport contain?
At a minimum, the passport will contain:

• The child’s name, birth date, address of record and Medicaid ID number.
• Name and address of each of the child’s physicians and health care providers.
• A record of each visit to a physician or other healthcare provider, including routine checkups.
• A record of immunizations.
• Identification of the child’s known health problems.
• Information on all prescriptions.

What about additional elements?
On Jan. 25, 2007, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the award of a $4 million grant to Texas to support the implementation of the foster care Health Passport. This funding will allow HHSC to develop a plan for additional enhancements and data elements for the passport.

Where does the information for the Health Passport come from?
Once a child comes into DFPS conservatorship, the Health Passport is populated with medical information as the child receives medical care. The information comes primarily from medical service and pharmacy claims data. HHSC is exploring the possibility of an additional enhancement that will allow the Health Passport to be populated with historical Medicaid data if the child was previously in Medicaid.

Does the Health Passport contain all of a child’s medical information?
No. The Health Passport is a tool to assist providers, caregivers and authorized DFPS staff in effectively and appropriately managing a child’s health-care needs. As with paper records, the Health Passport does not contain every piece of medical information about a child. The Health Passport will feature the capability to supplement the child’s basic information with certain types of documents.

Is the information entered in real-time?
Although data compilation will be considerably faster and more comprehensive than the reliance on paper files and manual data entry, most information will not be available until claims are submitted by the provider who has treated the child. Claims must be submitted within 90 days of treatment, although most providers submit claims much sooner.

Who has access to the Health Passport?
DFPS is finalizing the list of people or entities who will have access to the Health Passport. It is anticipated that access will be given to medical providers who treat the child, the child’s medical consenter and DFPS staff.

How will the Health Passport be protected?
The Health Passport is required to comply with both the privacy and security rules of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to maintain the confidentiality of the child’s medical information.