Using the Apache Struts
framework, LDAP and a mainframe DB2 database and working in Rational Application Developer (RAD),
we designed and built a system to allow BCBSM to provide prescription copay information to its new
prescription drug provider, Medco, so that Medco could accurately bill both BCBSM and the BCBSM
insured customer.
Due to contract requirements with BCBSM's outgoing prescription drug supplier and with incoming
Medco, the timeline for this project, dubbed "Automated Group Load", or "AGL", was very aggressive.
We were originally supposed to launch in September, 2010. We launched in July, 2010.
I designed and wrote the entire customer interface.
The application was called the Automated Group Load, or "AGL". It was euphemistically referred to
as "AGLlite", because much of the desired ultimate functionality had to be pared away to meet the
aggressive schedule. Additionally, the customers were not certain what functionality they would
require, because they did not know, fully, what information Medco would require. The ultimate goal
was to eventually create a "FullAGL". As time passed and the requirements became clear, FullAGL,
as originally designed, was scrapped and a new project was started to implement the changes necessary,
now that the customer understood the final requirements from Medco.
That project was called "HybridAGL". Starting with what began as AGLlite, we added all the required
new functionality and refined the original functionality to better suit our customers' needs. We
were ready to launch on schedule in January, 2012.
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