This document outlines Magellan Health Services' pharmacy technician and medical billing externship program. It discusses the benefits of externships for both the externs and Magellan, including hands-on training, potential employment opportunities, and cost savings for Magellan. The document provides details on the externship program structure, requirements, and how to partner with allied health colleges near Magellan locations to recruit externs.

1. Magellan Health Services
Pharmacy Technician and
Data Entry/Claims Processor
Externship Program
Kathy Ramirez
Sharon Butler
Kent Nixon

2. Pharmacy Technician and Medical Billing
and Coding Program
 Upon graduation students can  Upon graduation students can
perform perform
 Completion of claim forms
 Measuring medications
 Medical billing procedure handling
 Understanding medication
interactions
 Data entry
 Verifying prescriptions from doctors  Adhering to each insurance carrier's
policies and procedures
 Maintaining patient records
 Interaction with healthcare
providers
 Tracking insurance information
 Billing work of insurance companies
 Assisting patients and pharmacists
with questions
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3. Pharmacy Technician and Medical Billing
and Coding Coursework
 Sampling of coursework  Sampling of coursework
 Medical Terminology  Anatomy and physiology
 Label and Prescription  Insurance claim
procedures/Insurance law
 Information
 International classification of
diseases/ICD
 Anatomy/Physiology
 Medical terminology
 Poison/Drug Emergencies
 Various coding workshops
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4. Why consider an externship?
 Establish a pipeline of students graduating from
medical training programs
 Medical billing and coding specialists
 Pharmacy technicians
 Externs can fill an immediate demand
 Temporary positions while employee out on leave
 Temporary positions during high work flow
 Proactive employment vs. re-active employment
 Bring in externs ahead of anticipated hiring needs
 Hire them full time when externship is completed
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5. What is an externship?
Externships are experiential learning opportunities, similar
to internships, offered by educational institutions to give
students short practical experiences in their field of study.
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6. Department Benefits
 Externs are trained by experts in their field
 One week final training before externship starts
 Detailed final classroom training is given before anyone begins their externship
to make sure they are well prepared
 No commitments
 If they don’t work out, we can replace them no questions asked.
 Slow performing, attendance issues, attitude, etc…
 Cost effective
 Externs are not allowed to be compensated in any way.
 Claims externs save basic labor charges of roughly $1,800 per person monthly
 Pharmacy Tech externs save basic labor charges of $2,516 per person monthly
 Drug screens and background checks still apply
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7. Benefits continued….
 Placement rate
 Medical Billing
 Degree (A.A.): 17-enrollments, 34-graduates
61% of students were placed: 80% retention rate
 Diploma (certificate): 11-enrollments, 6-graduates
17% of students were placed: 89% retention rate
 Pharmacy Tech
 Degree (A.A.): 20 enrollment: 11 graduates
73% of students were placed: retention rate 74%
 Diploma (Certificate): 14 enrollments: 7 graduates
100% of students were placed: retention rate 75%
 Cost of direct hiring
 The average turn over rate for data entry claims processor’s is 21.9%
 The approximate cost of direct hiring per person is $1,000 (excludes training)
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8. Benefits to externs
 Apply classroom knowledge to related jobs
 They are able to use previous work experience plus their vocational experience
within a healthcare setting
 Learn the company and department in a short period of
time
 First hand view of culture, environment, and teamwork
 Potential employment
 Have the reward of a full time job after the end of the externship
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9. What’s the hitch?
 One site visit by the college
 Externship counselor comes to visit the site
 Two evaluations to be completed by supervisor
 One is completed in week 2
 Second one completed in week 4
 Employment verification form
 Supervisor to fill out when extern is hired
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10. How do we find these individuals?
e.g. Allied College Locations
 Arizona
 Phoenix  California
 Wisconsin  Sacramento
 Brookfield  Florida
 Texas  Orlando
 Irving  Minnesota
 Missouri  St. Louis Park
 Kansas City  Colorado
 Maryland Heights  Aurora
 Fenton  Oregon
 Nevada  Beaverton
 Las Vegas  New Jersey
 Tennessee  Cherry Hill
 Memphis  Jersey City
 Nashville  North Brunswick
 Pennsylvania  Parsippany
 Springfield  New York
 New York
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11. Conclusion
 Value added service
 Little commitment for a large return
 Application of classroom training
 Potential employment of externs
 Next steps – form partnerships, review and sign agreements
 Questions
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