CMS approval of SoonerSelect halfway there

Posted on: 9/22/23

At the Sept. 20 Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) board meeting, the Medicaid director announced that the 1915(b) waiver has completed the CMS approval process. This means that the policies for SoonerSelect (Medicaid managed care) have been approved by CMS, but we are still waiting for the approval of the Average Commercial Rate (ACR) preprint. The statute implementing SoonerSelect tied CMS approval of the policy (1915(b) waiver) to the approval of the ACR before the program can be implemented. Therefore, we are halfway to CMS approval of implementation of SoonerSelect.

The following updates to SoonerSelect were also given at the board meeting:

• OHCA is continuing to have provider town halls around the state. They had one in Enid with 40 attendees and Oklahoma City with 140 attendees. The next town hall is scheduled in Tulsa at 10 a.m. on Sept. 22 with 166 registered.
• Quality Strategy has been submitted to CMS.  
• The Quality Advisory Committee has been announced and the first meeting was held Sept. 12. Patrice Greenawalt, OHA VP of quality and clinical initiatives, is staffing the committee for all OHA members. To see the list of other representatives, click here. 
• An on-site readiness review has been completed for LIBERTY Dental.
• Trauma Level 1 state directed payment (SDP) preprint was approved by CMS on Aug. 28.
• SHOPP SDP (Average Commercial Rate) preprint was submitted to CMS May 12. No approval obtained yet.
• Enhanced payment for Oklahoma university affiliated professionals preprint was submitted to CMS on Aug. 1.
• 78% completion of desk readiness reviews for medical and specialty plans.
• HIE readiness checklist was reviewed with SoonerSelect contracted entities and all are in the process of connecting.

(Sandra Harrison)