Helping Tri-County simplify Medicaid billing and reduce costs

The challenge

Every student deserves access to the support they need. And school districts need reliable processes that help them manage the resources available to provide that support.

For Tri-County, Medicaid billing involved unnecessary administrative work. Although the cooperative already used EmbraceIEP®, its previous Medicaid billing software was a separate system. This meant staff had to move information between programs, adding time and complexity to everyday tasks.

Reducing manual data entry

Staff were required to work across two systems, using one to review IEP information and another to enter Medicaid billable minutes. Tri-County also had a dedicated position responsible for entering health aide minutes. The cooperative wanted to reduce this manual work and give staff a more straightforward way to document services.

Making better use of available funding

Medicaid reimbursement is an important funding source for eligible school-based services.

For Tri-County, finding a more cost-effective billing solution was a priority. The cooperative wanted to improve its ability to manage reimbursement while reducing software costs and the administrative resources required to process billing information.

Keeping documentation accurate and accessible

Accurate documentation is essential to Medicaid billing.

Administrators needed an easier way to identify missing information, review records and resolve issues that could delay claims.

Tri-County also wanted a system staff could use confidently, supported by timely guidance when questions arose.

The solution

Tri-County introduced EmbraceDS® alongside its existing EmbraceIEP® solution, connecting student information and Medicaid billing processes. Because the cooperative was already using Embrace, much of the information needed for billing was available within the same system.

This reduced the need for manual data transfers and made everyday processes easier for staff.

Making Medicaid billing easier for health aides

One of the most important changes was enabling health aides to enter their own billable service minutes. Previously, Tri-County relied on a dedicated staff member to complete this work.

With EmbraceDS®, more than 100 health aides could enter their information directly.

Reducing time spent transferring student information

Connecting EmbraceIEP® and EmbraceDS® also made it easier for staff to access the information needed for Medicaid billing.

Instead of moving between separate programs and transferring data manually, staff could work within a connected system. For Tri-County, this made a noticeable difference to everyday efficiency.

Making billing information easier to review

EmbraceDS® provided administrators with a dashboard showing important billing information, including missing prescriptions and consents. This made it easier to identify documentation that needed attention before it affected billing.

Providing support when staff need it

For Tri-County, responsive customer service was another important part of the experience.

The cooperative valued being able to contact the Embrace Medicaid Success team directly and receive timely guidance. This helped staff feel supported while managing Medicaid billing responsibilities.

The impact

Lower costs, less administrative work and more efficient billing

For Tri-County, connecting IEP and Medicaid billing processes made a measurable difference.

The cooperative reduced the amount of manual work required, made it easier for staff to enter service information and lowered its staffing costs.

Approximately $40,000 saved in staffing costs

One of the clearest outcomes was the removal of a dedicated Medicaid data entry position.

By enabling health aides to enter their own billable minutes, Tri-County reported saving approximately $40,000 in salary and benefits costs.

Less time spent on manual processes

With IEP and Medicaid billing information connected, staff no longer needed to transfer the same information between separate programs.

The familiar Embrace interface also helped health aides and other staff adapt to the new billing process.

This reduced administrative steps and made documentation more manageable.

Greater visibility of billing requirements

The EmbraceDS® dashboard helped administrators identify missing documentation and resolve issues that could interrupt Medicaid billing.

Having this information available in one place supported more consistent oversight and helped staff address potential problems sooner.

A more manageable experience for staff

With a familiar system and responsive support, Tri-County found it easier to manage Medicaid billing across its member districts.

For Renee, the combination of ease of use, customer support and cost was a key reason for recommending Embrace to other districts.

Making more resources available for student support

Tri-County's experience shows how connected technology can help schools reduce administrative costs and make better use of available resources. By bringing IEP and Medicaid billing information together, Embrace helped the cooperative reduce manual data entry, simplify documentation and save approximately $40,000 in annual staffing costs. With more efficient processes and clearer access to billing information, staff can spend less time managing systems and more time supporting the services students rely on.