Smith County to Expand Indigent Health Care Services, Change Location

TYLER — Smith County’s Indigent Health Care Program will soon see expanded services and a new, more convenient office location at the Cotton Belt Building thanks to a renewed partnership with UT Health East Texas. That’s according to a county news release. The Indigent Health Care Program is mandated by state law, and requires counties to pay for basic health care services for its low-income residents who meet certain income and resource requirements. Previously in Smith County, UT Health East Texas’s predecessor, East Texas Medical Center, performed the administrative role of qualifying program participants and paying claims. Now, UT Health East Texas will utilize HealthFirst TPA to perform those administrative functions and more.

Under the Administrative Services Agreement between Smith County and HealthFirst TPA, approved unanimously by the Smith County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, the services provided to the county will also include claims administration, detailed data and trend analysis, and utilization management, among other things. The County also approved a correlative lease for space in the Cotton Belt Building, where indigent health care claims administration will now take place. In doing so, the Commissioners Court recognized that this location is better for citizen-participants because it is along a bus route, has more parking, and has on-site security during business hours. HealthFirst is providing the administrative services for indigent health care for Smith County at-cost, meaning they will not make a profit from these services.