Unisys, a worldwide information technology firm headquartered in Blue Bell, Pa., was chosen by DHHS to establish a system that meets federal 'certification' standards. Once the system meets these standards, Unisys will serve as DHHS' 'fiscal agent' and be responsible for the oversight of the claims management system.
Design and implementation is expected to take two years and cost approximately $35.5 million, with $3.55 million coming from state funds. The operations phase of the contract follows implementation and spans five years, with a price tag of approximately $144 million ($14.4 million in state funds). Ninety percent of the funding comes from the Federal government.
During the first two years, Unisys will transfer a proven Medicaid Management Information System currently in use in another state it serves while using its expertise to develop, configure, and test the new system for MaineCare. It will also provide training under the contract agreement. The firm will also build and maintain a data warehouse that will support important functions like reporting and data analysis. After implementing the system by February 28, 2010, CMS requires six months of operation before beginning the certification process. It is anticipated that the system will achieve certification in October 2010.
"The negotiation and approval of Unisys means we can finally move aggressively toward a federally certified system. This is critical, because a certified system allows states to achieve the highest level of Federal matching funds to effectively manage its Medicaid program," said DHHS Commissioner Brenda Harvey."
Harvey said a great deal of work has been done between the Department and CMS over the last year or so which has only strengthened their working relationship. "To say that we are pleased that CMS has approved our choice to manage this project is an understatement. CMS has really been a collaborator through the planning process. They have a lot invested in our success and we appreciate their endorsement," she said. "We look forward to building upon the strong relationship between DHHS, CMS and Unisys over the coming years."
As part of the contract, Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, a public accounting firm based in Maine, has been chosen to serve as the Internal Verification and Validation (IV&V) provider. Their role is to be "the eyes and ears'' for CMS, ensuring that all parties are moving forward as defined by the contract. CMS requires an IV&V be hired for every Medicaid Management Information System project. Unisys is a worldwide information technology services and solutions company. It currently provides similar fiscal agent services in West Virginia, Louisiana and New Jersey, and recently has earned an award to develop a Medicaid Management Information System in Idaho.
