Tips for easing client intake

Service Authorizations: How can we help?

The Mom’s Meals^®  intake team works closely with case managers at Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) and health plans around the country to make meal delivery authorization for clients and members as seamless as possible.

Sometimes, ensuring your client is set up appropriately for meal delivery can be a little confusing. Here are some tips for getting a client or member authorized for meal delivery from Mom’s Meals. And we’re always here to help at 1-877-508-6667 or intake@momsmeals.com.

Tip 1: Complete forms are the key to success

A complete and accurate referral form helps expedite the process. If you’re using your agency’s own service authorization form for meal delivery, please be sure to include the information listed below. If you’re not sure what’s required to bill correctly, our intake team can help guide you before you submit the form. All forms should include:

• Client name and address: Enter the client’s full name and address and double-check spelling.
• Meal/units: Enter the number of meals the client is authorized for. As an example: 2 meals a day, 5 days a week.
• Delivery/frequency: Choose how often the client will receive meals. For example: 14 meals delivered every two weeks or one delivery of 14 meals. Make sure you’re clear about the frequency and take in to account that months vary in their number of days.
• Menu: We offer meals tailored to different nutritional needs. Be sure to indicate which type of meal the client or member needs: general wellness, cancer support, diabetes friendly, gluten free, heart friendly, lower sodium, pureed, renal friendly, or vegetarian.
• Agency: Enter the full name of the requesting agency or organization.
• Member ID: Include the member or client’s identification number.
• Date of birth: Enter the client or member’s date of birth.

Once our intake department receives a completed service authorization form for a member or client, they’ll set up the individual on a program and get the meal delivery process underway.

Tip 2: Meals: how many and how often

We want to make sure your client or member receives the correct number of meals on the right days. Please be sure to clearly define how many meals are needed in the delivery/frequency section.

Clear: 2 meals per day for three months or 3 meals per day, each month for 12 months.

Unclear: 30 meals per month for 12 months: in this case, the service will deliver 30 meals per month even on months when there are 28 or 31 days in the month.

Tip 3: Keep us in the loop

We understand that client and member needs change. And we’re happy to help. Just call or email the intake team to let them know about any changes with your client. They will direct you if the change(s) require a new authorization form. For instance, if the client needs more meals per day or a member needs to extend service for several months, please note that in the service authorization form. Remember to include the effective date of the update, not the current date. Calling us as soon as possible about the change will help expedite the process.

Here are some more helpful tips:

• If an individual loses Medicaid and/or waiver eligibility, please notify us within 7 days.
• If the individual changes health plan, MCO, or agency, please notify us within 7 days to ensure we bill the correct organization.
• If an individual’s case manager changes, please let us know so we can maintain accurate records and communicate with the correct person.
• Need to cancel an order? No problem. The deadline for order cancellation is Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT the week prior to the scheduled delivery.
• If the client or member is no longer in their home or is admitted to the hospital, please let us know within 24 hours. We’ll also ask for the admission and discharge dates to ensure our records are accurate.

If you have questions or would like an experienced member of our intake team to walk you through the service authorization process, just give us a call Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. CT at 1-877-508-6667.