(a) Definition. For the purpose of this section, a contract with a State Medicaid agency means a formal written agreement between an MA organization and the State Medicaid agency documenting each entity's roles and responsibilities with regard to dual eligible individuals.

(b) General rule. MA organizations seeking to offer a dual eligible special needs plan must have a contract consistent with this section with the State Medicaid agency.

(c) Minimum contract requirements. At a minimum, the contract must document—

(1) The MA organization's responsibility to—

(i) Coordinate the delivery of Medicaid benefits for individuals who are eligible for such services; and

(ii) If applicable, provide coverage of Medicaid services, including long-term services and supports and behavioral health services, for individuals eligible for such services.

(2) The category(ies) and criteria for eligibility for dual eligible individuals to be enrolled under the SNP, including as described in sections 1902(a), 1902(f), 1902(p), and 1905 of the Act.

(3) The Medicaid benefits covered under a capitated contract between the State Medicaid agency and the MA organization offering the SNP, the SNP's parent organization, or another entity that is owned and controlled by the SNP's parent organization.

(4) The cost-sharing protections covered under the SNP.

(5) The identification and sharing of information on Medicaid provider participation.

(6) The verification of an enrollee's Medicaid eligibility.

(7) The service area covered by the SNP.

(8) The contract period for the SNP.

(9) For each dual eligible special needs plan that is an applicable integrated plan as defined in § 422.561, a requirement for the use of the unified appeals and grievance procedures under §§ 422.629 through 422.634, 438.210, 438.400, and 438.402.

(d) Additional minimum contract requirement. (1) For any dual eligible special needs plan that is not a fully integrated or highly integrated dual eligible special needs plan, except as specified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the contract must also stipulate that, for the purpose of coordinating Medicare and Medicaid-covered services between settings of care, the SNP notifies, or arranges for another entity or entities to notify, the State Medicaid agency, individuals or entities designated by the State Medicaid agency, or both, of hospital and skilled nursing facility admissions for at least one group of high-risk full-benefit dual eligible individuals, identified by the State Medicaid agency. The State Medicaid agency must establish the timeframe(s) and method(s) by which notice is provided. In the event that a SNP authorizes another entity or entities to perform this notification, the SNP must retain responsibility for complying with the requirement in this paragraph (d)(1).

(2) For a dual eligible special needs plan that, under the terms of its contract with the State Medicaid agency, only enrolls beneficiaries who are not entitled to full medical assistance under a State plan under title XIX of the Act, paragraph (d)(1) of this section does not apply if the SNP operates under the same parent organization and in the same service area as a dual eligible special needs plan limited to beneficiaries with full medical assistance under a State plan under title XIX of the Act that meets the requirements at paragraph (d)(1) of this section.

(e) Additional opportunities in certain integrated care programs. (1) CMS facilitates operationalization as described in paragraphs (e)(2) and (3) of this section if a State Medicaid agency requires MA organizations offering dual eligible special needs plans with exclusively aligned enrollment to do both of the following:

(i) Apply for, and seek CMS approval to establish and maintain, one or more MA contracts that only include one or more dual eligible special needs plans with a service area limited to that State.

(ii) Use required materials that integrate Medicare and Medicaid content, including at a minimum the Summary of Benefits, Formulary, and combined Provider and Pharmacy Directory that meets Medicare and Medicaid managed care requirements consistent with applicable regulations in parts 422, 423, and 438 of this chapter.

(2) The requirements, processes, and procedures applicable to dual eligible special needs plans and the MA program, including for applications, bids, and contracting procedures under §§ 422.250 through 422.530, remain applicable. Because implementation of the contract provisions described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section may require administrative steps that cannot be completed between reviewing the contract and the start of the plan year, CMS begins good faith work following receipt of a letter from the State Medicaid agency indicating intent to include the provisions described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section in a future contract year and collaborate with CMS on implementation.

(3) When the conditions of paragraph (e)(1) of this section are met—

(i) Following a State request, CMS grants access for State Medicaid agency officials to the Health Plan Management System (HPMS) (or its successor) for purposes of oversight and information-sharing related to the MA contract(s) described in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section, as long as State Medicaid agency officials agree to protect the proprietary nature of information to which the State Medicaid agency may not otherwise have direct access. State access to the Health Plan Management System (or its successor) is subject to compliance with HHS and CMS policies and standards and with applicable laws in the use of HPMS data and the system's functionality. CMS may terminate a State official's access to the Health Plan Management System (or its successor) if any policy is violated or if information is not adequately protected; and

(ii) CMS coordinates with States on program audits, including information-sharing on major audit findings and coordination of audits schedules for the D-SNPs subject to paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(f) Enrollee advisory committee. Any MA organization offering one or more D-SNPs in a State must establish and maintain one or more enrollee advisory committees that serve the D-SNPs offered by the MA organization in that State.

(1) The enrollee advisory committee must include at least a reasonably representative sample of the population enrolled in the dual eligible special needs plan or plans, or other individuals representing those enrollees, and solicit input on, among other topics, ways to improve access to covered services, coordination of services, and health equity for underserved populations.

(2) The enrollee advisory committee may also advise managed care plans that serve D-SNP enrollees under title XIX of the Act offered by the same parent organization as the MA organization offering the D-SNP.

(g) Permissible carve-outs of long-term services and supports for FIDE SNPs and HIDE SNPs. A plan meets the FIDE SNP or HIDE SNP definition at § 422.2, even if its contract with the State Medicaid agency for the provision of services under title XIX of the Act has carve-outs of long-term services and supports, as approved by CMS, that—

(1) Apply primarily to a minority of the beneficiaries eligible to enroll in the dual eligible special needs plan who use long-term services and supports; or

(2) Constitute a small part of the total scope of long-term services and supports provided to the majority of beneficiaries eligible to enroll in the dual eligible special needs plan.

(h) Permissible carve-outs of behavioral health services for FIDE SNPs and HIDE SNPs. A plan meets the FIDE SNP or HIDE SNP definition at § 422.2, even if its contract with the State Medicaid agency for the provision of services under title XIX of the Act has carve-outs of behavioral health services, as approved by CMS, that—

(1) Apply primarily to a minority of the beneficiaries eligible to enroll in the dual eligible special needs plan who use behavioral health services; or

(2) Constitute a small part of the total scope of behavioral health services provided to the majority of beneficiaries eligible to enroll in the dual eligible special needs plan.

(i) Date of Compliance. (1) Effective January 1, 2010—

(i) MA organizations offering a new dual-eligible SNP must have a State Medicaid agency contract.

(ii) Existing dual-eligible SNPs that do not have a State Medicaid agency contract—

(A) May continue to operate through the 2012 contract year provided they meet all other statutory and regulatory requirements.

(B) May not expand their service areas during contract years 2010 through 2012.

(2) MA organizations offering a dual eligible SNP must comply with paragraphs (c)(9) and (d) of this section beginning January 1, 2021.