The State of Hawaii, Department of Human Services (the State) is proposing to request approval from the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend the “QUEST Integration” Demonstration Project (Project Number 11-W-0001/9) under Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act for an additional five years in order to further transform and improve the healthcare delivery system for low-income Hawai‘i residents.  The State will request approval of a five-year extension of the 1115 Demonstration (Waiver) beginning January 1, 2019 and continuing through December 31, 2023. 

In accordance to 42 C.F.R. 431.408, the State must provide at least a 30 day public notice comment period regarding the application for a demonstration project, or extension of an existing demonstration project that the State intends to submit to CMS for review and consideration. 

The State previously issued public notice on February 17, 2018 and conducted two public hearings on March 2, 2018 and March 6, 2018.  However, the State is reissuing notice to provide some additional information related to the financing approach, to share the interim evaluation results of the demonstration, to provide documentation of the annual post award forum, and to confirm our process for tribal consultation.  The draft application has also been updated to provide more description of the state’s objectives for the 1115 Demonstration Project.

Therefore, the State invites the public to comment on the renewal application and documents relevant to the renewal application a second time.  The State reopens the comment period from July 31, 2018 (Tuesday) and end on August 30, 2018 (Thursday).  This public input process will provide the opportunity for the public to review and provide comment on the draft Demonstration renewal proposal and relevant documents.  Written requests for a copy of the draft demonstration renewal proposal, relevant documents and any corresponding comments or questions may be sent to Ms. Edie Mayeshiro by mail to P.O. Box 700190, Kapolei, HI, 96709-0190 or by email at [email protected].

For further details on the program descriptions, goals, and objective, please refer to the State’s full public notice, the draft Demonstration renewal proposal, the Hawai‘i ‘Ohana Nui Project Expansion (HOPE) Program Vision Document, the Potential Initiatives Under HOPE document and relevant documents located in the following link: https://medquest.hawaii.gov/en/about/state-plan-1115.html.

CMS’s demonstration website can be found here: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/index.html