After the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, Minnesota faced the challenge of managing benefits unwinding with reduced staff and resources – as states were experiencing across the nation. With hundreds of thousands of renewals for Medicaid, the state needed a solution to automate the process and reduce the burden on caseworkers.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) partnered with Cúram to implement key enhancements to the Minnesota Eligibility Technology System (METS), their software system used to determine eligibility for MAGI Medical Assistance. This collaboration significantly increased the auto-renewal rate, improving agency efficiency, reducing caseworker workloads, and helping eligible residents retain their benefits.
DHS focused on achieving quick wins through an agile approach to steadily enhance the auto-renewal process while working toward a future-state solution.
Before the PHE Unwinding, Minnesota’s auto-renewal rate for Medicaid was just 17%. Faced with an influx of renewals and limited resources, Minnesota DHS and MNIT partnered with Cúram to find quick, impactful solutions. Their goal? To automate the renewal process and reduce manual workloads for caseworkers. Through a series of phased enhancements, Minnesota's auto-renewal rate skyrocketed to 80% in less than a year.
“The key to success on this project was our close collaboration. By meeting daily with Minnesota executive leadership and working hand-in-hand with DHS and MNIT, we were able to quickly identify needs and implement solutions that made a real difference."
– Marina Pascali, Senior Director, Cúram by Merative
Minnesota’s approach to auto-renewal was methodical, using a phased strategy to gradually implement improvements. The first phase removed key barriers that prevented auto-renewal when client consent wasn’t provided to access federal tax information. By making such adjustments, the auto-renewal rate improved by several percentage points almost immediately.
Subsequent phases further refined the system, updating business rules to prevent income duplication and improving data accuracy from key sources like the Social Security Administration. These enhancements enabled more accurate renewals at the individual level, aligning with federal guidelines.
The results of these changes were profound. By enhancing the renewal process, Minnesota saved an estimated 36,000 hours of caseworker time in just one renewal cohort, allowing staff to focus on higher-priority tasks. These time savings translated to almost $1.3 million in cost savings for the state. Additionally, by reducing manual processes, caseworkers experienced less burnout and had more capacity to serve the people of Minnesota.
“Minnesota’s benefits auto-renewal enhancements transformed the process for tens of thousands of citizens in collaboration with Cúram. The jump we experienced from 17% to 80% auto-renewal rate for MAGI Medicaid was unheard of for us in this fast timescale. The 36,000 hours in time savings and the nearly $1.3 million in cost savings in one cohort alone is a clear win for efficiency and citizen service."
– Jim Gilsrud, Director, Java Application Development Division, Minnesota Information Technology
Minnesota’s success offers valuable lessons for other states navigating similar challenges. Key takeaways include the importance of early vendor engagement, close collaboration with technology partners, and leveraging industry expertise to tailor solutions. By working closely with Cúram and MNIT, Minnesota ensured that their evolving auto-renewal system met both state and federal requirements while providing significant benefits to agencies and residents alike.
“Our partnership with Cúram has been invaluable. Their deep understanding of HHS-specific challenges and proactive communication allowed us to stay ahead of the curve, implementing key initiatives that directly benefited both our team and the people we serve."
– Jim Gilsrud, Director, Java Application Development Division, Minnesota Information Technology
Looking ahead, Minnesota plans to continue enhancing their system with a focus on individual renewals, ensuring compliance with CMS guidelines, and further improving operational efficiency.
Minnesota’s experience with auto-renewal enhancements during the PHE Unwinding underscores the power of strategic partnerships and targeted technology investments. Through their collaboration with Cúram, the state not only increased their auto-renewal rates but also set a new standard for efficiency, cost savings, and improved outcomes for both caseworkers and the public they serve, helping keep eligible citizens on Medicaid and receiving the benefits they’re entitled to.