Fla. re-ups ACS for health care call center services

Affiliated Computer Services Inc. has won a $5.7 million contract renewal from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration to continue providing complaint and information call center services, the company announced today.

The three-year contract has three one-year options, the company said. Under the contract, ACS of Dallas will build up the current operations and enhance efficiencies through technology.

The enhancements include creating a Web-based system to track client contacts, and software that provides customer service representatives with tools to provide better information and service to the callers.

ACS has provided Florida residents who use state-based health care services a confidential venue to voice complaints since January 2002.

Acting on behalf of the customer, the company handles more than 170,000 calls annually related to matters such as practitioner, facility and health maintenance organization complaints; Medicaid fraud and abuse; publications requests; and program information and referrals. ACS staff thoroughly document all complaints and forward them to agency staff for investigation.

ACS provides a full-range of program administration services for Florida to support the state's health care programs, including fiscal agent services, pharmacy benefits management, decision support services, enrollment broker services for the Medicaid program and operation of the outreach hotline for the Children's Health Insurance Program.

ACS is a provider of business process and information technology outsourcing services to commercial and government clients. The company has more than 40,000 employees and had annual sales of $3.7 billion in 2003.