HMA has previously reviewed and discussed some of the implications of provisions put forward in the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program managed care access, finance, and quality proposed rule published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) back in May 2023. It is now anticipated that the final rule will be published later this month in April 2024. Given that the final rule, if it codifies many of the proposed provisions as written, will have a significant impact across Medicaid stakeholders including states, managed care organizations (MCOs), and providers, and that its publication appears imminent, it is valuable to recall the major areas that the final rule will likely address.
The final rule is anticipated to include policy changes in several major areas. These include in lieu of services (ILOS), the Medicaid and CHIP Quality Rating System (MAC QRS), medical loss ratios (MLRs), network adequacy, and state directed payments. When taken together, the policymaking in each of these areas represents the start of a new era of accountability and transparency in the Medicaid program and will affect Medicaid coverage and reimbursement for years to come.
HMA is on the alert for the final rule and will provide analysis and expertise relevant to states, MCOs, and providers, both before and following its release. Whether it is understanding the opportunities to leverage ILOS to address health-related social needs, ensuring operational readiness for data collection and calculation obligations for the MAC QRS, or preparing to comply with MLR requirements related to provider incentive arrangements and quality improvement activity reporting, as well as a host of other topics, HMA will be able to provide insight.
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If you have questions about how HMA can support your efforts related to the final rule’s implications for states, MCOs, or providers, please contact our featured experts.
