On Sept. 19, 2017, the Personal Service Contract Review Board (PSCRB) staff recommended approval of the MississippiCAN contracts during their regularly scheduled meeting. The PSCRB did not take action on the contracts, nor did they object to them, and as a result the statute, Mississippi Code Section 25-9-120 (4), provides that the contracts “shall be presumed to be approved” 30 days after submission.
The Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) submitted the contracts to PSCRB on Aug. 22, 2017, and therefore, according to the statute the contracts will be statutorily approved on Sept. 21, 2017. However, as DOM has repeatedly stated, the contracts are not effective and enforceable until they are approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). DOM intends to submit the contracts to CMS for review and approval in the near future.
DOM is very pleased that PSCRB staff recommended approval of the contracts, affirming the integrity and fairness of the procurement process, and that the contracts will be statutorily approved. As DOM has consistently maintained throughout this process, the MississippiCAN procurement was conducted fairly, impartially and according to the applicable rules and regulations set forth by PSCRB.
Although the contract implementation process is now three months behind schedule, DOM staff and the successful bidders are ready to work quickly and diligently to meet the go-live date of July 1, 2018. Any further objection or legal action taken by the protesters will be handled as expeditiously as possible. Now, the agency can move forward as appropriate with implementing the program to ensure that beneficiaries will continue to receive services they need.
