Medicaid Match Projects

ABOUT THE MEDICAID MATCH PROJECT PROCESS

Overview
Medicaid match projects are research projects that provide information to inform Medicaid policy or further the goals of the Medicaid program.  Projects focus on a wide variety of health policy areas including prevention, patient advocacy, and women and children’s health, to name a few.  Proposals must clearly state the implications of the research for the Medicaid program, and the target population to be studied.  To qualify for Medicaid funding, projects must provide information and/or deliverables that assist in the efficient and effective administration of the state’s Medicaid program.

Timelines
Medicaid match projects are funded on the state’s fiscal year, running from October 1 through September 30.  Proposals may be funded mid-year, but funding will still end effective September 30 of each fiscal year. Projects may apply for continued funding for subsequent fiscal years. 

Proposal Application
The Institute for Health Care Studies (IHCS) coordinates the application process for Medicaid match funding.  A standard format is required for all match project proposals.

For researchers interested in pursuing Medicaid match project funding, a meeting with IHCS staff is the first step.  LINK TO 5-IHCS STAFF CONTACT INFO.  IHCS staff will provide Medicaid policy guidance as well as logistical information to prospective investigators. 

Project Budget
Medicaid administrative funding is provided on a 50/50 match basis.  For every dollar Michigan State University (MSU) commits, one dollar of federal Medicaid funding may be drawn down.  Researchers provide the match, generally through contributed effort from the general-fund portion of their salaries.  All Medicaid funding flows through the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) to MSU.

Institutional Review Board Approval
The researcher must indicate whether or not a project involves human subjects.  IHCS has negotiated a streamlined process with MDCH so that researchers do not have to go through a separate MDCH review for projects involving human subjects.  MSU Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is accepted by MDCH. 

Projects that require IRB approval must submit their IRB application and approval letter to IHCS.  IHCS will coordinate with MDCH

Data Warehouse
IHCS has a unique agreement with MDCH allowing access to information in the Medicaid claims database.  Researchers interested in accessing this information should contact IHCS to discuss the data that are available. If data are desired, MDCH must grant permission for the project specific information desired based on completion of the Request for Warehouse Data form. If permission is granted, IHCS will run all data queries and provide de-identified data to the researcher.

Match Project Expectations
UCRIHS – if research involves human subjects, UCRIHS approval is required before Medicaid match funds can be accessed.

Deliverables – All project deliverables will be completed as committed to in the match project proposals.

Mid/Year-end Reports – Both a mid-year and a year-end report are required each year.  These are due to IHCS April 15th and October 15th respectively.

Publication – There are requirements related to the publication or presentation of Medicaid match project information.  These requirements are enumerated in the Master Agreement between MSU and MDCH.  Generally a copy of any proposed article or presentation is shared with MDCH concurrent with submission of that material to a journal or conference.

Presentation to MDCH – Once a year, generally in the summer months proceeding the beginning of the next fiscal year, researchers with newly funded projects are asked to make a brief presentation about their projects and to answer any questions MDCH staff may have.  The purpose of the meeting is to allow researchers and MDCH staff to meet one another, and give researchers an opportunity to summarize their projects and MDCH staff a chance to directly address questions to the researchers.

Poster Session – There will be an annual Medicaid match project poster session, generally each Fall.  Participation by each project is mandatory.  The poster session provides an opportunity for MDCH staff to learn more about the match projects and to meet the researchers.  It also provides an arena for researchers to showcase their work and to talk to other researchers about their projects.

Year End Survey – All match projects are asked to complete a year-end survey about the match project process as well as project specific experiences.  This information helps IHCS improve the process and better serve researchers in the future.

IHCS Coordination
IHCS serves as the contact point for all Medicaid match projects.  As such, IHCS coordinates proposal and budget submissions, deliverables, data warehouse requests, UCRIHS materials, and any other necessary items.