Related Resources
Streamlined Modular Certification State Medicaid Director Letter
Streamlined Modular Certification for Medicaid Enterprise Systems Guidance Document
Medicaid Enterprise Systems Testing Guidance Framework
Streamlined Modular Certification Intake Form
CMS Certification Repository on GitHub
The following documents are available on the GitHub Repository: Intake Form with E&E Outcomes, Metrics Example Template, Certification Request Letter Template, and the Monthly Project Status Report Example Template.
CMS issued a State Medicaid Directors Letter and Guidance (both referred to as the SMDL) that sunsets the Medicaid Enterprise Certification Toolkit (MECT) and the Medicaid Eligibility and Enrollment Toolkit (MEET) and introduces a significantly streamlined modular certification (SMC) process.
With the introduction of SMC, CMS moves further toward Outcomes-Based Certification (OBC) for MES and provides more consistency and accountability in CMS’s certification process to promote effective stewardship of federal funds.
SMC introduces a new set of elements:
- CMS-Required Outcomes are based on statutory or regulatory requirements and provide a baseline for what is required of a MES (Appendix B).
- State-Specific Outcomes are developed by states and should be measurable, achievable, and reflect the short-term goals of the MES project.
- Metrics provide measurable evidence that the outcomes are achieved on an ongoing basis. States are required to report on the system’s performance to CMS as a condition for receiving enhanced funding.
- Required Artifacts are still required for certification, but the SMC SMDL reduces the number from 29 to 7 (Appendix C).
SMC applies throughout the Medicaid Information Technology (IT) investment lifecycle.
Medicaid IT Investment Lifecycle Engagement and Certification Process
States should follow the SMDL for all Medicaid IT projects going forward and should reach out to their State Officers for more information.