Introduction
As part of Vermont’s Global Commitment to Health Demonstration Waiver, the State has created a new incentive-based program, the Medicaid Data Aggregation and Access Program (MDAAP), that will provide health information technology (HIT) infrastructure support to Medicaid providers in order to increase HIT use and connectivity to the state’s health information exchange.
Who is Eligible?
The program’s initial focus will be on mental health providers, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers, and long-term services and supports (LTSS) providers that predominantly serve the Medicaid population.
These providers were selected for MDAAP eligibility because they: 1) disproportionately serve populations experiencing health disparities; 2) were ineligible for the federal EHR incentive programs or the programs were not designed with their technical needs in mind; and 3) may lack data collection, use, and analytic capabilities, hindering their participation in Medicaid-driven value-based payment models and integrated care models.
For more detailed information on provider eligibility, please see the Eligible Providers page.
Program Tracks
Participation in the MDAAP is organized within five distinct program tracks, and incentive payments are tied to achieving specified milestones within each program track. Participating providers are free to select the most appropriate program track that matches their technology goals. Completion of all program milestones is voluntary, but incentive payments are contingent upon documented achievement of program milestones.
The five available program tracks are grouped into three main pathways for program participation:
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Adoption of new electronic health record (EHR) or other approved technology
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Connection to the Vermont Health Information Exchange (VHIE) using existing EHR technology
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Establishing provider access to the VITLAccess clinical portal
For more detailed information on program tracks and milestones, please see the Program Tracks & Milestones page.
Program Support and Technical Assistance
Several forms of program support and technical assistance will be provided through MDAAP in order to help participating providers achieve program milestones. This support is designed to answer questions providers might have along their MDAAP journey, offer guidance on vendor selection and EHR implementation decisions, provide technical support for onboarding and connecting with the VHIE, and afford participants other individualized forms of program assistance. For more information about the various forms of program support and technical assistance available, please see the Program Support/Technical Assistance page.
How to Apply
Providers interested in MDAAP participation should begin by submitting a request for an application through the Apply for MDAAP/Contact Us page. When you send this inquiry, our business support team will follow up with information about how to apply for the program, and they can also provide guidance on helping select the program track that is right for you.
Official program enrollment begins with signing an MDAAP Participation Agreement that outlines and formalizes expectations for your participation in the program. Following completion of the Participation Agreement, the MDAAP team will guide you through a needs assessment to determine the level of assistance that your practice may need in achieving the milestones contained within your selected program track. This assessment period will culminate in a Scope of Services Agreement that formally describes the assistance the MDAAP business support team will offer to ensure that your new system and/or connection to the VHIE is successfully integrated into your practice.