CNSI to Provide Cutting-Edge Medicaid Enrollment System for Arizona

Rockville, MD – October 2, 2018 – CNSI, a leading business solutions provider with vast experience developing and delivering innovative health care management technology, announced today that it has been awarded a three-year, $16.4 million contract by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Administration (AHCCCS).

CNSI’s scope of work includes developing a system for Arizona to consolidate multiple provider enrollment applications currently in use into a single enrollment process that electronically collects and processes information needed to support provider screening, enrollment, verification and registration. Under the contract, CNSI will work to streamline and reduce the burden of the enrollment process for providers to ensure compliance with Medicaid requirements for program participation.

Currently, AHCCCS provides coverage to approximately 1.9 million members in Arizona and has more than 70,000 active providers in Arizona.

“Over the last decade, CNSI has consistently developed cutting-edge health IT solutions that substantially improve efficiencies at the state and federal level,” said Sharif Hussein, CNSI Chief Strategy Officer and President HHS. “We are thrilled to work with the state of Arizona to modernize their systems to the benefit of providers and patients alike.”

By developing this new system, CNSI will help AHCCCS begin the process of updating a 30-year-old Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) through modular system development and integration. CNSI previously developed a similar MMIS shared between Michigan and Illinois. The initial term of the contract will be for three years, with two one-year options to extend.

“Since developing the nation’s first completely automated real-time and cloud-based MMIS in Michigan, we have been expanding our partnerships with states to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve health care delivery to millions of Americans,” added Hussein. “We look forward to leveraging our strong domain expertise, unparalleled experience, and world-class team to help Arizona do just that.”

About CNSI

CNSI delivers a broad range of health information technology (IT) enterprise solutions and customizable products to a diverse base of federal and state agencies. We align, build, and manage innovative, high-quality, cost-effective solutions that help clients achieve their mission, enhance business performance, and improve the health for over 28 million Americans. CNSI is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, with locations throughout the U.S. and India. CNSI employs a world-class team of technologists, program managers, and subject matter experts, all of whom have experience with large scale mission-critical health IT implementations. CNSI’s website is: http://www.cns-inc.com.

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NAMD Survey Shines Spotlight on MMIS Modularity

It is well-known in the health industry that the inner-workings of Medicaid are complex—at best. In an attempt to identify and improve on these complexities, the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) issues an annual survey. For the fiscal year of 2017, 45 states participated, with the results recently published by NAMD. This report highlights the common issues in Medicaid that span across state lines. When all is said and done, there were four key challenges that Medicaid programs face:

* Addressing the increased public scrutiny, pressure and accountability
* Managing the transition to value-based care
* Combating high leadership turnover
* Operating a program that relies heavily on sister agencies and external contractors

The entire report provides high-value insights into the country’s single largest source of public health coverage. However, here at CNSI, we were particularly interested in “Strategic Priorities of Medicaid Directors”.  In this section, NAMD uncovered through the state’s responses the top priorities that will shape the agency work, with delivery system and payment reform, data systems and IT, and behavioral health being the top three.

As the first company in the nation to build a fully modular, compliant Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS), we know the value of modularity and incremental modernization. So, it came as no surprise that nearly 58% of respondents indicated that their state is in the modular procurement process. Two additional themes that spread across all mentions of MMIS Modularity were as follows:

“First, Directors voiced a desire to have their agencies work with an array of public and private partners to make modularity a reality. Some of the partners most often named by Directors included client service centers, pharmacy operations managers, benefit managers, and contract administrators for special populations. Second, Directors expressed commitment to a staggered, piecemeal approach to implementing modularity.”

And the upcoming NAMD Fall Conference will provide the perfect platform for states to discuss Medicaid modularity and other key topics. With a jammed packed agenda, we look forward to listening to your challenges and your success stories. See you in November!



September: Hurricane Season and National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), awareness efforts could not come at a more opportune time as Hurricane Florence hits the East Coast. In 2017, during the devasting Hurricanes Harvey, Rita, and Irma, CNSI employees stepped up and helped areas impacted. Overall, we donated $20,000 to Global Giving and assisted over 500 families rebuild their homes. This year, we stand at the ready to support those impacted by pending Hurricane Florence.

We are also building awareness and sharing tips on how our employees—and their families—can #PrepareNow. Here are a few of the highlights that we wanted to share with our readers.

Tip 1: Make a Disaster Plan

There’s no schedule for when a disaster may strike, so making sure everyone is on the same page with a disaster plan is vital. The best way to do this is by sitting down with your family and making sure you have a plan for where to go, what to do, and how you’ll get in contact with each other for multiple scenarios.

Tip 2: Learn Skills that Can Save Lives

Knowing how to respond during a high-stress moment and possibly save a life is an important ability to have. Attend or host a local CPR event and visit the FEMA website for what to do before help arrives.  Also, make sure you’re preparing your home for a disaster. Check the batteries in fire alarms, purchase a carbon monoxide detector and be aware of how to turn off the gas in your home.

Tip 3: Check Your Coverage

If a disaster hits your home, insurance is there to help you pick up the pieces. As we’re in hurricane season, now is the best time to check with your home insurance and make sure you’re covered for floods and fires. There’s never a bad time to check and get better coverage.

Tip 4: Financially Plan

Emergency savings were created for a rainy day. That is especially true during hurricane season. Make sure you’re putting enough money away in case of an emergency. Start by completing an Emergency Financial First Aid Kit and going through realistic costs and concerns with your family.

What are you doing to prepare in case of an emergency? Share your helpful tips by tweeting @CNSICorp using the hashtag: #PrepareNow.



Medicaid. Transformed (via Andy Slavitt).

Medicaid beneficiaries represent the nation’s most in-need patient group. They also represent a demographic that could benefit the most from health IT innovation. That is why Andy Slavitt, former administrator for The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has created a two-year initiative, The Medicaid Transformation Project. At its core, the goal of this  effort is to identify, create, and spread access to creative solutions that will improve the health of underserved individuals and save providers money.

Slavitt will lead a group of seventeen major health systems dedicated to targeting four key areas: behavioral health, substance use disorder, women and infant care and avoidable emergency department visits. “The current healthcare system fails the people who need it most,” Slavitt said in a press release announcing the project’s launch. “Our work will be to deepen and refine the best innovations and then implement them at an accelerated pace at providers across the country.”

To start, the project will assemble core groups at each hospital who will be tasked with identifying and sharing best practices across the seventeen systems. Although our work here at CNSI focuses on payors and providers, we are excited that the Medicaid Transformation Project is taking things on from the care side. Hopefully, together, we’ll make meaningful advances in health outcomes for the Medicaid population.

For a complete download on how the project will operate and measure success, check out this additional write-up from Healthcare Informatics.

How do you think the Medicaid Transformation Project will impact healthcare in this country? Join the conversation at @CNSICorp.

 



MESC & PDX Made Simple

Portland is known for many things: it’s simple & cool vibe, incredible coffee, authentic culinary experiences and breathtaking views. We are excited to experience them all as part of next week’s annual Medicaid Enterprise Systems Conference (MESC).

Once again, the conference has a packed agenda covering a wide range of health IT topics, including modernization, modularity, and procurement management. There’s no doubt that the Medicaid industry is complex. But it is also ripe with opportunities to drive innovation and improve care.

To this end, CNSI is excited to provide conference attendees with a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with our modular Medicaid solution, evoBrix®. Always trying something new, this year we will be hosting a speaker series featuring our clients and partners during the conference breaks. Our industry experts will cover the following topics:

Attendees who come to these short, 10-minute talks will have the opportunity to win an Amazon echo dot, yet another tool that simplifies life.

Speaking of the simple life. CNSI is proud to host one of Portland’s top mindfulness coaches, Ryan Kenny. Ryan is a clinical social worker, mental health therapist and qualified mindfulness instructor with over twelve years of meditation experience. He has brought mindfulness awareness to such organizations as Nike, Amazon and Google. Each morning, Ryan will lead MESC attendees through guided meditation that will leave you feeling relaxed, focused, and ready to start the day. For the early risers who join us we will be giving away a “Medicaid Made Simple, But First Coffee” tumbler and entered to win a travel yoga mat.

Lastly, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention some of our top picks of what we think makes Portland great. After spending time scoping the city, here’s our list of top ten can’t miss:

10. Portland Japanese Garden: Tranquil beauty with an unsurpassed view of Mt. Hood
9. Craft Beer Galore: More breweries than any other city on Earth
8. Steven Smith Teammaker: Sip a leisurely cup while studying the teamakers in action
7. Meticulous Baristas: From French roast to whipped cappuccinos, Portland has you caffeinated
6. Independent Book Stores: Come for the titles, stay for the atmosphere.
5. Shalom Y’all: A modern, mouth-watering take on traditional Mediterranean dishes
4. Bridges of Portland: With a dozen crossings over the Willamette River, there’s a lot to discover
3. Voodoo Doughnut: A cult classic shop serving doughnuts that are as delicious as they are colorful
2. Portland’s Art Museum: One of the oldest in the country, features both historic and contemporary pieces
1. MadeHere: Bring back a piece of Portland from a shop that showcases the best of local art, design, and goods.

As you can see, we are taking advantage of all that Portland has to offer. We hope you take advantage of this opportunity to talk with us and let us know what we can offer you! See you next week at #MESC2018!



Sustainability is not an “add-on” at CNSI

CSNI staff

For CNSI, a Rockville-based health information technology company, environmental sustainability is central to its corporate culture and work ethic. Importantly, their Green Business Certification is not viewed as a distinct add-on to the company’s strategic objectives.

Rather, their environmental efforts are rooted in an integrated corporate social responsibility (CSR) framework which focuses on doing the right thing in all aspects of business. Hence, their environmental initiatives flow naturally from this over-arching framework.

iCare and The Five Pillars

To better define their objectives, CNSI created their iCare program in 2015, which consists of five pillars: People, Environment, Governance & Ethics, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, and Innovation. The company’s overarching CSR motto is,“Think Globally, Act Locally.”

CSNI

The governance of iCare was structured to ensure that its objectives are woven throughout the fabric of CNSI’s business. Leaders from each business unit, which include Human Resources, Information Technology & Security, Ethics and Corporate Compliances, Facilities, and Marketing Communications, create annual CSR goals and tactical plans to achieve those goals. These goals and plans are then approved by the company’s board of directors and tracked throughout the year by the iCare Leadership Committee. To showcase the impact of the programs efforts, the company provides an annual CSR report (the 2016 report can be found on their website and the 2017 report will be released shortly).

The CSR committee is housed in the marketing department and as Jennifer Bahrami, Vice President of Marketing Communications, says, “None of our CSR work would be possible without having 100% buy-in from our leadership. Our efforts touch each part of the business and collaboration is vitally important.”

iCare at CSNI

Think Globally, Act Locally

To act on their mantra, “Think Globally, Act Locally”, CNSI’s CSR consultant Mary Fehlig, of the Fehlig Group, another Montgomery County Certified Green Business, encouraged CNSI to consider certification. As they gathered data, they quickly discovered that they were already doing many of the suggested actions as a matter of course. Missie Aulls, CNSI’s Facility Manager and the company’s lead on the certification process, was pleased to discover that, “We are actually implementing a lot of green practices. We just did it because that’s the way we thought it needed to be done, not because we were seeking a particular certification.”

They also found the checklist provided a tangible and detailed roadmap to help the company communicate ways in which employees can “live green”, both in and outside of the office. It also allowed the Green Committee to engage with more departments and expand their sustainability efforts.

The Green Business Certification Program also helped CNSI to determine areas in which they could improve, and better ways to measure progress. Their goals for 2018 include the following:

  • Complete each phase of the Continuous Improvement Plan, which involves monitoring defined metrics
  • Expand awareness tactics for all employees including e-newsletter articles, in-house digital advertising, and in-person education events.
  • Institute a Fair Trade Certified and low-impact purchasing policy at all project sites.
  • Identify requirements and begin work on greening three office locations outside the county, utilizing the Green Business Certification framework.

Their main challenge was pulling all the information together from various departments. But now they possess real data on things like recycled and recyclable office supplies, coffee packets, etc., that provide tangible evidence they are making progress toward their goals and a positive impact on their local and global environment.

The certification has also helped them understand that their commitment to organizational stewardship comes alive when policies are put into practice.

CSNI

Earth Day Becomes Earth Month

Since iCare began, Earth Day has been an important cornerstone to increase employee engagement and raise awareness of environmental issues. In the past, CNSI has distributed reusable mugs, bags, and garden seeds. They also make an annual contribution to the Arbor Day Foundation. Given that CNSI is an IT company, they place a great deal of emphasis on electronic recycling. Each year, they host an e-cycling event where employees can bring in used or broken electronics for proper recycling. To date, more than 2,500 pounds of electronic waste has been collected.

In 2018, Earth Day transformed into Earth Month. Throughout the month of April, the company hosted different sustainability activities. In addition to their annual e-cycling event, the company invited a representative from Waste Management who showed the process, goals, and tips for proper recycling.

The company also extended their seed giveaway by distributing more than 1,000 packets to all their US offices. Lastly, the CNSI office in Michigan teamed up with their local area food bank to weed, clean up, and plant fresh vegetables and fruit in their garden.

To highlight all these activities, the Marketing Communications department put out a e-newsletter at the beginning of the month, advertised events on the company’s intranet, and displayed weekly ads on the TV screens located on each floor. These promotional and educational materials are then used throughout the year to serve as friendly reminders of how to be environmentally conscience.

Sustainability Embedded

What is readily apparent is that CNSI’s sustainability efforts are not simply about checking the boxes. Their significant efforts are very much a part of their corporate culture and embedded in their long-term commitment to being a good corporate steward.

Article originally posted Friday, July 17 by My Green Montgomery authored by Julia Craighill, Ensight Consulting



Budget Officers Tackling Health IT at Annual Conference

Oklahoma’s largest city is home to unique attractions including the American Banjo Museum and the historic Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel. This year, Oklahoma City is also hosting the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO)’s 2018 Annual Meeting, which kicked off yesterday morning. NASBO is a professional membership organization, specifically for finance officers, working to improve state budget practices.

Sharif Hussein attending NASBO 2018 Conference

CNSI’s Chief Strategy Officer and President of Health and Human Services, Sharif Hussein, is in attendance to hear what SBO’s are saying about health IT. To no surprise, key topics include the status of the federal budget, Medicaid expansion, and the growing opioid epidemic. To the latter, the state of Kentucky ranks number five in the nation in opioid overdose death (a startling 33.5%). This may be why Van Ingram, Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, is leading the panel today on how state budgets need to be adjusted to mitigate against the crisis. Following up this session will be a presentation from the Kaiser Family Foundation on the current landscape of Medicaid waivers—an increasingly high-profile topic.

It will be great to hear firsthand how states are addressing these important issues from a financial perspective. Our representatives look forward to gaining further insights on how to best collaborate, support, and reduce financial burden through innovative solutions.



Patients are the Foundation for Healthcare Interoperability

The health IT world is buzzing about the role of “interoperability” in modernizing the United States healthcare system – and for good reason. The seamless communication between electronic health record systems and medical devices can save time, money, and even lives. But how do we ensure we’re getting the most out of this new type of data exchange?

At CNSI, we understand the key to successful interoperability is remaining patient-focused. Recent actions by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) reflect a similar notion, as the organization integrates technology further into the American healthcare system.

ElderyPatientDocHealthITEarlier this year, CMS made a major commitment to keeping patients the focus of healthcare data-sharing by launching its MyHealthEData initiative – an effort to give patients control of their medical data from the device of their choice. To further the initiative, last week CMS announced the launch of its Data Element Library (DEL). A great example of the transition to patient-focused interoperability, the DEL is a free resource that will improve the exchange of health information and coordinated care – specifically for post-acute care organizations.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma stated, “DEL supports the use and sharing of data, and aligns with MyHealthEData, a government-wide effort strengthening the interoperability of health information.”

The ability to collect and share data improves care coordination and offers the opportunity to improve current treatments and develop new and more effective options. What do you think about the latest effort by CMS to increase interoperability in healthcare? Join the conversation by tweeting @CNSIcorp.



Mental Wellness and Health IT: An Issue, An Opportunity

It’s a given fact that technology plays an important role in how we measure our health. We are relying more and more on smartphones and wearables to track everything from our daily fitness activities to our sleep cycles. And according to researchers, they could also be useful for tracking our mental health.

While mental health can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss, recent tragedies have once again put a spotlight on the issue. In the month of May, the world lost both Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain to suicide. Their heartbreaking losses served as a good reminder that almost 45,000 Americans take their own lives every year. Following the announcements, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline reported a 65 percent increase in calls for help.

There is, however, hope in health IT. A recent study published by Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) recognized that a certain machine learning algorithm can analyze data collected from wearable devices to identify risk factors for mental health issues.  By applying machine learning, features associated with stress and poor mental health could then be identified, offering clinicians a better understanding of how treatments are impacting patients.

The results of the study exhibit the potential for health IT to play a major part in improving mental health outcomes. Another example of this potential is being demonstrated through the State of New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation electronic cause of death application. This mobile app, developed by CNSI, allows for health officials to report and see the cause of death immediately. This allows them to determine if the death is related to other cases. The power of this data is unlimited, especially as the country faces the extreme opioid epidemic, which took approximately 200,000 lives in 2016 (the most recent year for which data is available).

As health IT advances, we look forward to not only watching but contributing to how it can be used to improve all aspects of wellness–including mental health.

How else can health IT address the most pressing health crises we face? Let us know on Twitter @CNSICorp.



CNSI Recognized by NOVA Chamber of Commerce for Exceptional Business Leadership & CSR Efforts

Rockville, MD – June 13, 2018 – CNSI, one of the world’s leading business solutions providers with vast experience developing and delivering innovative information health care management technology solutions, today announced it was selected as a finalist for the Northern Virginia (NOVA) Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Corporate Citizen Award in the Large Business Category. These awards honor companies for above-and-beyond business leadership and corporate social responsibility.
CNSI was recognized as a finalist at the awards ceremony on June 13th, 2018 at the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia. An audience of more than 600 leaders including top senior executives, politicians, business professionals, entrepreneurs, and influentials were in attendance.
“As a health IT leader, CNSI has earned a reputation for developing innovative technologies that improve the lives of millions of Americans. But we also want to be known for how we conduct our business, treat our employees, and give back to the communities that support our organization,” said Adnan Ahmed, co-president of CNSI. “CNSI’s CSR program, iCare, was designed as a way to show our commitment to making the financial, social, and volunteer investments in efforts that help transform the lives of those most in need.”
The finalists for the Outstanding Corporate Citizen of the Year Award for Large Businesses honored companies of more than 500 employees in the DC Metro region that have made outstanding contributions during the past year to employees and the community. CNSI was celebrated as a company that has been a longtime advocate for the community, particularly for its partnerships with local charities including the Montgomery County Coalition for Homeless, Manna Food Center, Capital Area Food Bank, MdBio Foundation, National Institutes of Health Children’s Inn, and Stepping Stones Shelter. Over the past year, CNSI provided more than 1,000,000 lbs. of food to more than 3,000 residents, and contributed 700 volunteer hours to combat hunger in the community.
“The success that has come from iCare can be attributed to one thing: our employees. By allowing our employees to drive where we invest our time and resources in the community, we’ve been able to increase engagement and improve overall impact.” said Ahmed. “We are honored to be recognized by the NOVA Chamber of Commerce for our commitment to bring about positive change in the community, and thank our employees for their continued commitment to making the world a better place.”
About the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce
The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber), The Voice of Business in Northern Virginia™, is the preeminent Northern Virginia membership organization for businesses to grow through relationship building and partnership engagement throughout the Greater Washington region. 700 organizations and 500,000 employees strong, the Northern Virginia Chamber is the largest chamber of commerce in Northern Virginia and has been working hand-in-hand with regional businesses, government, and academia to build a robust and innovative business community for more than 90 years. To learn more about the Northern Virginia Chamber, please visit http://www.novachamber.org and follow the Northern Virginia Chamber on Twitter: @NOVAChamber and @NOVAChamber_CEO.
About CNSI
CNSI delivers a broad range of health information technology (IT) enterprise solutions and customizable products to a diverse base of federal and state agencies. We align, build, and manage innovative, high-quality, cost-effective solutions that help clients achieve their mission, enhance business performance, and improve the health for over 28 million Americans. Formed in 1994, CNSI is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, with locations throughout the U.S. and India. CNSI employs a world-class team of technologists, program managers, and subject matter experts, all of whom have experience with large scale mission-critical IT implementations. CNSI’s website is: http://www.cns-inc.com.
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