Guidance

As part of the state-federal partnership in administering the Medicaid programs, the Centers for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) Division of Managed Care Plans (DMCP) issues technical assistance in the form of letters to State Medicaid Directors, Informational Bulletins, Issue Briefs, and Frequently Asked Questions to communicate with states and other stakeholders regarding operational issues related to Medicaid. Managed Care technical assistance is available from CMS to assist state Medicaid agencies in developing, enhancing, implementing, and evaluating managed care programs. 

Final Rule

On April 25, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) put on display at the Federal Register the Medicaid and CHIP Managed Care Final Rule, which aligns key rules with those of other health insurance coverage programs, modernizes how states purchase managed care for beneficiaries, and strengthens the consumer experience and key consumer protections. This final rule is the first major update to Medicaid and CHIP managed care regulations in more than a decade. See the related blog co-authored by the CMS Administrator and CMCS Director, Medicaid Moving Forward. For questions regarding Managed care, please email ManagedCareRule@cms.hhs.gov.

Use of New or Increased Pass-Through Payments in Medicaid Managed Care Delivery Systems

On January 17, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) put on display at the Federal Register a final rule that finalizes changes, consistent with the CMCS Informational Bulletin (CIB) concerning “The Use of New or Increased Pass-Through Payments in Medicaid Managed Care Delivery Systems,” published on July 29, 2016, to the pass-through payment transition periods and the maximum amount of pass-through payments permitted annually during the transition periods under Medicaid managed care contracts and rate certifications.  The final rule prevents increases in pass-through payments and the addition of new pass-through payments beyond those in place when the pass-through payment transition periods were established in the final Medicaid managed care regulations effective July 5, 2016.

State Guide to CMS Criteria for Medicaid Managed Care Contract Review and Approval

This guide covers the standards that are used by CMS staff to review and approve state contracts with Medicaid managed care organizations (MCO), prepaid inpatient health plans (PIHP), prepaid ambulatory health plans (PAHP), primary care case managers (PCCM), primary care case management entities (PCCM entity, and health insuring organizations (HIO). This guide is based on existing requirements and CMS policy at 42 CFR §438.

Health Insurance Providers Fee for Medicaid Managed Care

Section 9010 of the Affordable Care Act imposes a fee on specified covered entities engaged in the business of providing health insurance. This fee is referred to as the Health Insurance Providers Fee, and covered entities include health insurance issuers, health maintenance organizations, private insurance companies, and insurers that provide coverage under Medicare and Medicaid. For more information, see the Internal Revenue Service website at http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Corporations/Affordable-Care-Act-Provision-9010

For information to assist states as they consider the implications of the Health Insurer Providers Fee for their managed care plans and for Medicaid managed care rate setting, see our Frequently Asked Questions.

2017 Medicaid Managed Care Rate Development Guide

The 2017 Medicaid Managed Care Rate Development Guide has been released by CMS for states to use when setting rates with respect to any managed care program subject to federal actuarial soundness requirements during rating periods starting between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2017. The Guide provides detail around CMS' expectations of information to be included in actuarial rate certifications and the Guide will be used as a basis for CMS’ review. A power point training on the Guide was presented on November 7, 2016. CMS will issue a Guide for rating periods starting July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 at a later date due to the publication of the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Managed Care Final Rule (CMS-2390-F, 81 FR 27498) on May 6, 2016 that includes new provisions effective for contracts starting on or after July 1, 2017. Please direct any questions related to this Guide to MMCratesetting@cms.hhs.gov.

Previous years rate setting guidance is also available:

Medicaid Managed Care Marketing Regulations

With the implementation of the Marketplaces, states and managed care plans have been requesting clarification on the Marketing regulations at 42 CFR 438.104 and how those regulations may impact their marketing activities. To respond to these inquiries, we are providing this list of Frequently Asked Questions. They address activities by issuers that offer both a qualified health plan (QHP) and a Medicaid managed care plan; responding to consumer inquiries; and plans' ability to conduct outreach for eligibility renewal.

Managed Care Encounter Data Toolkit

This toolkit provides a practical guide to collecting, validating, and reporting Medicaid managed care encounter data. It is designed as a step-by-step guide for state Medicaid staff responsible for managing the daily operations involved in encounter data, as well as for senior managers and policymakers who oversee this function. It contains case studies, checklists, and links to resources that provide helpful tips and tools.

Assessing the Usability of 2011 Behavioral Health Organization Medicaid Encounter Data

The Assessing the Usability of 2011 Behavioral Health Organization Medicaid Encounter Data technical assistance brief has been released by CMS.  This brief assesses the completeness and quality of encounter data for Medicaid managed care behavioral health organizations (BHOs) in 2011. It provides an update to a similar study conducted using MAX 2009 data. It describes state variation in the use of delivery systems, which benefits are covered, and the types of Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in BHOs. Please direct any questions related to this issue brief to managedcareTA@mathematica-mpr.com.

Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) Benefit for Children and Youth in Managed Care

On January 5, 2017, CMCS issued an informational bulletin that provides information for states that use managed care to deliver some or all of the services included in the EPSDT benefit. It is important that managed care plan contracts clearly reflect the extent to which the plan is responsible for services included in the EPSDT benefit.  Services included in the EPSDT benefit which are not covered by a plan remain the responsibility of the state Medicaid agency to ensure that eligible individuals under age 21 have access to the full EPSDT benefit.