Washington, D.C., received the first ever Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) certification from CMS for their case management system serving long-term services and supports (LTSS) clients on January 18, 2020.
DC Care Connect, an implementation of an FEI Systems LTSS platform, went live in June 2015. The retroactive CMS certification provided the District the opportunity to request enhanced federal funding – a 75 percent Federal Financial Participation bump – going back to the go-live date of the system.
FEI’s Blue Compass case management solutions are well positioned for CMS approval, are secure and compliant, and they follow CMS guidance on interoperability. Additionally, our modular approach means we can customize workflows and automation to provide solutions that fulfill common requirements while meeting the unique needs of our customers. This allows our partners to leverage a system with streamlined processes and a proven track record as well as learn and draw inspiration from a community of users with similar goals and challenges.
Comprehensive Care Coordination in the District
The Department of Health Care Finance in Washington, D.C., ensures access to high quality extended and long-term care services for all Medicaid beneficiaries in the district. With a myriad of LTSS programs and individuals with various needs, the DC government coordinates services based on the specific needs of its population through a person-centered approach and an online case management portal.
FEI’s dynamic web-based system provides transparent care coordination and communication across the district’s HCBS management system. FEI oversaw the implementation of the system, beginning in June 2015.
With DC Care Connect, support coordinators are equipped with all the tools they need to ensure clients are well cared for on a platform that is easy to use and navigate. The system houses client profiles, case accounts, eligibility information, letters, and links to centralized plans of service as well as services received by the client. The portal also includes data from external systems such as state eligibility, MMIS, and state HIE systems.
This comprehensive case management system, with report generation capability for users allows for real-time data exchange across the district’s home and community based LTSS system. DC Care Connect has helped enable the DHCF to provide services to Medicaid Waiver recipients while fostering more rigorous program oversight, case management capabilities, and enhanced reporting functionality.
Supporting Future Certifications
A comprehensive system allows agencies the opportunity to apply for enhanced federal Medicaid match of 90/10 for design, development and implementation and 75 percent for operations and maintenance. Our case management solution complies with the Conditions and Standards for Enhanced Funding Requirements defined by CMS in 42 CFR 433.112.
The certification of DC Care Connect was unique in that it was done after the full implementation of the LTSS case management solution. Today, FEI is committed to helping our partners apply for CMS certification of our case management solutions during implementation.
CMS certification of case management programs does not guarantee all member/client needs are met by the agency using the federally certified solution. Rather, the certification attests to the information technology system functionality alone. Agencies with certified solutions, however, are strongly positioned to be fully compliant with all federal MMIS policy regulations.
