Project Overview

Objective

The Medicaid and CHIP Business Information and Solutions (MACBIS) initiative is building an infrastructure for robust data analytics, including integrating and aligning federal and state data sources, to support data-driven policy decisions about Medicaid and CHIP policy and programs.

To support the analytic needs of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS), Mathematica supports T-MSIS and the analysis and dissemination of data about Medicaid and CHIP to support program monitoring, policy implementation, technical assistance, and oversight. 

Project Motivation

By improving the quality of the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) data and advancing the development of analytic tools, CMCS can more easily use data in its program monitoring and enhance knowledge of policies that promote health and health equity.  

Partners in Progress

IBM

Prepared For

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

The Medicaid and CHIP programs provide care for more than 80 million Americans and play an important role in providing coverage for some of the most vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, low-income adults, persons with disabilities, and low-income seniors.

Mathematica develops tools for advanced data quality detection and dissemination as well as data products and analytic reports that leverage T-MSIS. Under this contract, we improve the quality of T-MSIS and Performance Indicators (PI) through direct technical assistance to states and maintenance of self-service data quality monitoring tools. We lead the production of the research-optimized version of the T-MSIS data, known as the T-MSIS Analytic Files (TAFs), and the supporting materials. We support CMCS use of TAF data by producing many analytic products and reports across business owners, such as the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) program, the Medicaid and CHIP Core Measure Sets, and the Medicaid and CHIP Scorecard. The team has produced congressionally-mandated reports on substance use disorders (known as the Substance Use Disorder Data Book) and the Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation benefit. In addition, Mathematica has been supporting CMCS in tracking and monitoring the impacts of COVID-19 among Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries by developing a data visualization tool that tracks COVID-19-related conditions, enrollment, and service utilization on a month-by-month basis. We are leveraging this experience to support CMCS with the development of quality measures in the areas of equity and health-related social needs to co-create an equity-focused dashboard. We also provide support to end users of the data through a help desk and the maintenance of tools, such as TAF DQ Atlas and PI dashboard.

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Project Impact

After helping CMS stand up the new national data system for Medicaid and CHIP—known as the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS)—and research optimized data files (the T-MSIS Analytic Files or TAF), Mathematica’s MACBIS team has continued to work with CMS to strengthen the quality of T-MSIS and Performance Indicator data, including developing an approach for imputing missing race and ethnicity data; helping CMS use the data for monitoring the effects of the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency on Medicaid and CHIP; designing approaches to using the data to replicate state EPSDT reports and select Core set measures; and now helping to design a dashboard for monitoring health equity issues in Medicaid and CHIP.

- Carol Irvin, Project Director

Related Staff

Carol  Irvin

Carol Irvin

Senior Fellow

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Carey Appold

Carey Appold

Vice President, Federal Medicaid Practice

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Julia Baller

Julia Baller

Director, Advisory Services

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Christine Fulton

Christine Fulton

Senior Managing Consultant

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Kerianne Hourihan

Kerianne Hourihan

Lead Data Analytics Developer

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Kristin Lemos

Kristin Lemos

Senior Researcher

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Linda Nguyen

Linda Nguyen

Researcher

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Laura Nolan

Laura Nolan

Senior Researcher

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Erin Panzarella

Erin Panzarella

Principal Researcher

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John Schmitt

John Schmitt

Senior Director, Business Development

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Derek  Winsor

Derek Winsor

IT Program Manager

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Cara Stepanczuk

Cara Stepanczuk

Researcher

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