Knowledge Management Associates (KMA)
Your trusted partner for understanding your health care & coverage needs
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We provide free, unbiased assistance to individuals to help them learn about, enroll in, and take advantage of health insurance programs for which they may be eligible. In addition, we explore ways to leverage our infrastructure to meet otherwise unmet human health needs.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Insurance Counseling Services
Missouri Connections for Health Insurance Counseling Services program provides health-related outreach, education, and free, unbiased counseling to those under age 65 in Missouri's Boone county. We focus on assisting individuals and families with coverage through the Healthcare.gov/Marketplace (Affordable Care Act) along with Medicaid (MO Healthnet), CHIP and related programs. We provide programming to educate Missourians in how health insurance works and we provide some aspects of health literacy education (how to access health care services and navigate the system). We never charge for our services and we do not sell insurance. We are part of the Cover Missouri Coalition.
CLAIM
Since 1993 the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (DIFP) has contracted with KMA doing business as Missouri Connections for Health to administer the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), known as CLAIM. MCH, is proud to serve Missouri’s Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers through the CLAIM program. The services, including health-related outreach, education, and free, unbiased counseling, are vital to the state, and with MCH's years of experience with this program, we are uniquely positioned to provide these services to ensure the needs of Missouri’s Medicare beneficiaries are met. MCH is dedicated to upholding CLAIM’s mission and supporting the excellent work of our staff, as well as the network of more than 300 volunteer counselors and nearly 200 community partner organizations. CLAIM operates a call center to field requests for assistance from Missouri Medicare beneficiaries and their families and caregivers. Throughout the history of the CLAIM Program, staff and volunteers have assisted with the implementation of new health care legislation and initiatives from the the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to 2010's Affordable Care Act. The need for health insurance information, counseling and assistance is immense and increasing due to the continuing changes and complexities of Medicare and Medicaid benefit programs. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 required CLAIM and other SHIP Program staff, community partners, and volunteers to become proficient to educate beneficiaries on a wide variety of Medicare and Medicare-related programs. Milestones of the program include the following.
• Establishment of the Medicare + Choice Program (now called Medicare Advantage Program);
• Addition of Medigap protections;
• Addition of high-deductible Medigap policies;
• Coverage of additional preventative service initiatives
such as mammograms, pap smears and pelvic exams, prostate cancer screenings, colorectal screenings, diabetes self-management education programs, bone mass measurements and expanded immunization coverage;
• Creation of separate Part A and Part B Home Health Benefits. The CLAIM Program was intricately involved in the implementation of The Medicare Modernization
Act (MMA) of 2004. This act was a historically significant implementation of brand new benefit prescription drug coverage. CLAIM staff and volunteers became proficient in this important new legislation and assisted beneficiaries with accessing the following benefits:
• Prescription Drug Discount Program;
• Prescription Drug Benefit;
• Prescription Drug Coverage for Low-income Individuals;
• Expanded Managed Care Options in 2004; and
• Coordination with State Pharmacy Assistance Programs.
The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Provider Act of 2008 (MIPPA) offered improvements to Medicare Benefits, specifically those with low income and changes to the Medicare Advantage Plans. Once again CLAIM staff, community partners, and volunteers became proficient in explaining these changes and assisted beneficiaries with the following benefits:
• Improvements to the Medicare Savings Program
• Increased assets limits;
• Elimination of estate recovery Medicare Savings Program;
• Changes to how life insurance and in-kind support are counted;
• Elimination of the Part D late enrollment penalty for low income beneficiaries; and
• Funding for SHIPs and other organizations to expand outreach and enrollment efforts;
• Phase-in of Mental Health Coinsurance Parity from 2010 to 2014; and
• Improvments to the Welcome to Medicare Exam by extending eligibility from six months to one year. In 2010 the Affordable Care Act brought additional changes to the Medicare Program and added responsibilities to educate the public. CLAIM staff, community partners, and volunteers became proficient at explaining the following added benefits:
• Annual Wellness Visits,
• Tobacco Use Cessation Counseling,
• Elimination of the Medicare Part B deductible and/or copayment, for services such as the following:
• Bone mass measurement;
• Cervical cancer screenings, including pap smear tests and pelvic exams;
• Cholesterol and cardiovascular screenings;
• Colorectal cancer screenings;
• Diabetes screenings; and
• Mammograms and prostate cancer screening.
• Elimination of the coverage gap starting at 50% reduction in 2011. CLAIM staff, community partners, and volunteers are prepared to build on the success of our current program to enhance our capabilities and capacity to meet the growing and evolving need for Missouri Medicare beneficiaries to be informed about their health care coverage and choices.
Cover MO Call Center
Missouri Connections for Health holds a contract with Missouri Foundation for Health to provide the Cover Missouri Call Center, operating a statewide call center for individuals who seek Affordable Care Act assistance. The Customer Service Representatives at the Cover Missouri Call Center assist with general questions, make referrals and/or appointments for consumers to meet with in-person assisters/CACs in their area for enrollment help, and refer consumers to low/no-cost health resources in their area if they are ineligible to get covered.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients who have access to insurance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adults
Related Program
Insurance Counseling Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Number = counseling sessions documented. Counseling is limited by staff employed in ICS. A 6-year grant ended in 2019; now a single part-time employee & 2 volunteers.
Number of Medicare beneficiaries reached through outreach/education contacts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Seniors, Caregivers, People with disabilities
Related Program
CLAIM
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Number of Missourians with Medicare who received information about getting, keeping, or using health insurance. Note COVID-19.
Number of Medicare beneficiaries who have received health insurance counseling assistance.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Seniors, People with disabilities
Related Program
CLAIM
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Documented counseling sessions; Note COVID-19.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Mission: We educate and empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions in a complex healthcare environment.
Vision: To be the trusted resource for helping individuals and communities maximize their access to healthcare and benefits.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Education/Outreach - We provide training to members of the public and organizations in how to get, keep, and use health insurance. We also participate in a variety of outreach activities to members of the public about how we can help them.
Health Insurance Counseling - We provide free, unbiased, trustworthy explanation to individuals and families regarding their health insurance options, allowing individuals to make fully-informed decisions about what benefit options will work best for their individual needs.
Collaborative Partnerships - We work collaboratively with a wide variety of organizations and individuals to maximize outcomes for the individuals we serve.
Leveraging Volunteers - We recruit, train, and support volunteers who primarily serve as insurance counselors. These may be traditional volunteers, AmeriCorps members, or in-kind volunteers whom we do not pay but who may participate in our program on behalf of their employer.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The company history and foundation is strongly based in the promotion of health care quality serving providers, consumers and communities. Primaris was established in 1983 as the Missouri Patient Care Review Foundation (MPCRF) by the Missouri State Medical Association and the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.
In 1984, MPCRF was designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and then known as the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA,) as the Medicare Peer Review Organization (PRO) for Missouri. The company successfully renewed the PRO contract non-competitively since 1984. In 2002, PROs were renamed Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) to reflect the multidisciplinary approach of all team members—physicians, nurses, and administration—working together to improve the quality of care. The company’s name was changed to Primaris in 2004. In August 2014, QIOs became regionalized and Primaris became a part of the regional Quality Improvement Network (QIN,) with TMF Health Quality Institute.
In 2015, Primaris Holdings, Inc. restructured from a 501c6 to a private company and continues its nonprofit affiliate, Knowledge Management Associates (KMA) dba Primaris Foundation, established April 20, 2001, to continue the mission to: “Educate and empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions in a complex healthcare environment.”
Since 1993 the MO Department of Commerce and Insurance has contracted with Primaris to administer the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), known as CLAIM. Primaris Foundation, hereafter called Primaris, is proud to serve Missouri’s Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers through the CLAIM program. The services are vital to the state, and with Primaris’ years of experience with this program, we are uniquely positioned to provide continued, uninterrupted services to ensure the needs of Missouri’s Medicare beneficiaries are met. Primaris is dedicated to upholding CLAIM’s mission and supporting the excellent work of our staff, as well as the network of 300+volunteer counselors and almost 200 Community Partners. Throughout the history of the CLAIM Program, staff and volunteers have assisted with the implementation of new health care legislation and initiatives from the “The Balanced Budget Act of 1997” to the most recent “2010 Affordable Care Act.” The need for health insurance information, counseling and assistance is immense and increasing due to the changes and complexities of Medicare and Medicaid benefit programs. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 required the SHIP Program staff, community partners, and volunteers to become knowledgeable to educate beneficiaries on a wide variety of Medicare and Medicare-related programs.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
KMA/Missouri Connections for Health is building on a history of 30 years of operating the Missouri State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). On top of this, MCH has proven itself to be nimble in adjusting to the changing environment, having been involved in assisting with Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, Marketplace/ACA, and assistance programs for those who cannot obtain health insurance.
We anticipate that MCH will continue to build on its history and mission, strengthening its organizational infrastructure as a nonprofit organization, including varying fundraising methods and sources of funding, and adapting to the changing environment.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Knowledge Management Associates (KMA)
Board of directorsas of 08/24/2023
Dr. Julia Vargas
Rockhurst University
Term: 2020 -
Carol L. Beahan
Tami Benus
T Benus Associates LLC
Randy J. Rodgers
Josh Oxenhandler
Evans & Dixon
Steve Calloway
Allison Schwent
Julia Vargas
Rockhurst University
Jason Kane
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/24/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.