Issue Briefs , Templates & Toolkits | Dec 10, 2013

Operationalizing the New Fast Track Enrollment Options: A Roadmap for State Officials

 Manatt Health Solutions – Jocelyn Guyer and Tanya Schwartz

Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance alerting states to the availability of waivers to facilitate the enrollment of eligible individuals into Medicaid using data states already have “on hand” in their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid files. By doing so, states can: efficiently and quickly enroll eligible individuals in coverage; alleviate the administrative demands on new eligibility and enrollment systems for Medicaid and the Marketplaces; and reduce the staff time required to process Medicaid applications. This brief, prepared by Manatt Health Solutions, provides a roadmap for states on how to implement a fast track enrollment process, including all steps from getting the waiver from CMS to sending fast track enrollment forms and actually enrolling individuals into Medicaid before later evaluating fast track enrollees at renewal using standard eligibility determination rules.


Expert Perspectives

October 11, 2024

CMS Offers New Details on Account Transfer 2.0

The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) explained the transition to “Account Transfer 2.0” (AT 2.0) in a CMCS Informational Bulletin (CIB) released on October 10, 2024. The CIB indicates significant federal investment in improving the process of transferring consumer application information between state Medicaid and CHIP agencies and the Marketplace in the states using the federal platform. This expert perspective reviews the CIB and highlights opportunities for states to improve account transfer data under the CIB.

CMS Solicits Comments on Medicaid/CHIP Reporting Templates for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity

On September 9, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new collection of federal Medicaid and CHIP reporting templates designed to assist states in monitoring Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) compliance in Medicaid and CHIP. Informal public comment is requested by December 2, 2024. This expert perspective reviews the reporting templates to highlight considerations for states and support the formulation of comment submissions.

September 27, 2024

States Have New Flexibility to Add Adult Dental Care to Essential Health Benefits

On April 2, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services offered a new option for states to update their essential health benefits (EHB) benchmark plan to require coverage of routine adult dental benefits. While there are multiple drivers of inequities in oral health, a primary barrier to accessing dental services is the cost of care, a barrier that can be reduced with dental insurance. This expert perspective provides an overview of the newly available flexibility and discusses considerations for states weighing whether to add a requirement that plans subject to EHB cover routine adult dental care.