Minnesota

Minnesota Capitated Financial Alignment Model Demonstration (MN Senior Health Options (MSHO))

SPOTLIGHT & RELEASES

Key Dates

September 12, 2013 - CMS and Minnesota sign MOU

October 26, 2016 - CMS and Minnesota sign MOU Extension

September 29, 2018 - CMS and Minnesota sign second MOU Extension, extending demonstration through December 31, 2020

September 29, 2020 - CMS and Minnesota sign third MOU Extension, extending demonstration through December 31, 2023

Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) Model

On September 12, 2013, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new partnership with the State of Minnesota to test new ways of improving care for Medicare-Medicaid enrollees. Building on the state's Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) program, CMS and Minnesota will work together to improve the beneficiary experience in health plans that maintain contracts with both CMS as Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans and with the state to deliver Medicaid services.   

More information from CMS:

• Fact Sheet
• MOU (PDF)
  • MOU Addendum (PDF)
  • MOU Extension (10/26/2016) (PDF)
  • MOU Extension (Second; 09/29/2018) (PDF)
  • MOU Extension (Third; 09/29/2020)
• State Proposal (PDF) 
• Third Evaluation Report for the Minnesota Demonstration to Align Administrative Functions for Improvements in Beneficiary Experience (07/07/2021)
• Second Annual Report for the Minnesota Demonstration to Align Administrative Functions for Improvements in Beneficiary Experience (11/29/2018)
• First Annual Report for the Minnesota Demonstration to Align Administrative Functions for Improvements in Beneficiary Experience (10/20/2017)
• Minnesota Evaluation Design Plan (PDF)
• Letter of Intent to Extend Scheduled End Date (PDF)

Information for Plans:

• All state-specific information and guidance for plans is available on the Information and Guidance for Plans page.

Information from the state of Minnesota:

• Minnesota's Demonstration to Integrate Care for Dual Eligibles

Funding Support:

• Beneficiary Counseling & Ombudsman Programs

Other State-Specific Evaluation Reports

Since 1997, Minnesota has provided Medicare coverage for approximately 35,000 Medicare-Medicaid eligible individuals over age 65 through the Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) program. Today, the Minnesota demonstration recognizes this program stability and is focused on administrative flexibility rather than developing a new capitated system. The current demonstration will be evaluated for its ability to further promote integration. However, the longevity of the MSHO program provides for unique data analysis opportunities. MSHO claims data are a rich resource for researchers to analyze the impact of integrated care on health care outcomes for Medicare-Medicaid eligible.  To that end, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) published Minnesota Managed Care Longitudinal Data Analysis which highlights the importance of providing integrated options for Medicare-Medicaid eligible individuals. It may be found at this link: https://aspe.hhs.gov/report/minnesota-managed-care-longitudinal-data-analysis

• ASPE Issue Brief -- Advancing Integrated Care: Lessons From Minnesota (PDF)

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