Note: On January 1, 2021, Public Knowledge, LLC merged with the Center for System Integrity (CSI) and the Center for the Support of Families (CSF), formerly part of SLI Government Solutions (SLI), to form Public Knowledge®. This merger united three leaders in management consulting, enhancing expertise, and expanding services. CSI adds IT consulting capabilities in project oversight, quality assurance, and security assessments, while CSF brings proven strategies to improve service delivery systems for children and families. Together, Public Knowledge® focuses on Programs, People, and Systems to deliver impactful solutions nationwide.

United States – January 29, 2019 – SLI has been awarded an Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) contract to provide certification review and project progress assessment services of the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) module for Arizona and Hawaii.

The two States have a joint agreement where Arizona leads the design, development, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the Medicaid system for both States. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is the state of Arizona’s Medicaid agency, while MedQUEST is the Medicaid agency for the state of Hawaii.  Pursuant to recent Social Security Administration changes, states are mandated to implement EVV for non-skilled in-home services (such as attendant care, personal care, and respite services).  

AHCCCS and MedQUEST are implementing EVV within the 2019 timeframe by deploying an Open Vendor Model EVV system. This is a hybrid model allowing the state to contract with one EVV vendor or operate its own EVV system while still allowing providers and Managed Care Organizations with an existing EVV system to continue to use those systems. Staff from SLI’s Center for Systems Integrity (CSI) will perform monthly reviews using the most recent release of the Medicaid Enterprise Certification Toolkit (MECT) and reporting to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the states. With the addition of Arizona and Hawaii, SLI is now providing support for the system certification process in nine states: AZ, CO, HI, ND, NJ, PA, PR, SC, and WY. SLI’s IV&V team will be leveraging the lessons learned in these other states to assist Arizona and Hawaii in preparing for CMS certification and in responding to CMS Certification findings.

SLI ensures that CMS is informed of project health status, risk management, and mitigation activities. To ensure the continued efficiency and effectiveness of the company and its clients, SLI supports an active and engaged Medicaid Community of Practice (CoP). The CoP meets monthly to discuss current CMS-specific initiatives, activities, best practices, and current and upcoming requirements. The CoP is a key factor in SLI’s ability to be proactive in identifying and avoiding risks. It allows SLI professionals to provide their clients with the knowledge that recommended mitigation strategies have been successful elsewhere.

“Our experience assisting health and human services agencies navigate the emerging and evolving CMS certification rules permit our delivery team to make insightful recommendations and accurate assessments that meet the needs of the states and CMS, as the project progresses,” said Steven Esposito, President of SLI Government Solutions. “SLI is delighted to be assisting Arizona and Hawaii in meeting the needs of its staff and the public they serve through the completion of the EVV effort,” Steve continued. “These awards solidify our place as a trusted partner to State agencies, minimizing risk and maximizing quality, as they work towards modernizing their technology for mission critical public projects while complying with federal requirements.”

About Public Knowledge®

Public Knowledge® is a national management consulting firm focused on Programs, People, and Systems. We exist to help our clients solve tough problems and thrive in complex environments. For more than 30 years, we have helped our clients achieve their goals by understanding their needs and objectives as a foundation for our problem-solving process. Our goal is to provide our clients unparalleled service and act as their catalyst for change. Learn more by visiting pubknow.com.