County committee approves extended contract for preschool claim processing, adds new eStax electronic stack system
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Summary
The committee approved an extension of the county’s contract with James McGinnis & Associates to process preschool reimbursement and Medicaid claims and discussed a separate eStax purchase to digitize school sign‑offs and reduce paper processing errors.
The Ulster County Health, Human Services and Human Rights Committee on May 8 approved an extension of a longstanding contract with James McGinnis & Associates to handle preschool provider payments and Medicaid claiming and discussed a separate purchase of an electronic “stack” system (eStax) that would digitize school sign‑offs.
Commissioners and department staff said the McGinnis software has supported county preschool services administration for more than 20 years; the program pays providers, assembles state reimbursement files and includes a Medicaid billing module that charges, in part, a percentage fee on Medicaid claims. The committee approved a contract not to exceed $112,000 for the 2024–2029 extension.
Deputy or department staff explained the new eStax system will allow school districts to acknowledge eligibility and service documentation electronically instead of on paper. That change is intended to reduce staff data‑entry work and errors: staff said the county had nearly 1,500 paper “stacks” (school sign‑offs) last year because evaluations, amendments and district moves each generated paperwork.
The eStax contract was described as higher initially because it includes startup costs and maintenance; staff said the eStax purchase was approved in the county’s budget and will likely be folded into a single package with the McGinnis services in a few years once implementation is complete.
Department staff said the program’s Medicaid module imposes a billing charge — described in committee discussion as roughly 2% of eligible Medicaid claiming — and that the county could be eligible for up to about $500,000 in Medicaid claiming under the program, producing a revenue stream to support service costs.
Actions recorded: motion to adopt resolution 2‑27 to execute a contract for $112,000 with James McGinnis & Associates; motion moved by Legislator Corcoran and seconded by Legislator Collins; committee approved the resolution at the May 8 meeting.
Committee context: staff said the McGinnis system and the new eStax electronic stack are intended to reduce errors, speed reimbursement and streamline district sign‑offs for preschool special‑education and related services.