Simon&Co., LLC https://mjsimonandcompany.com/ Experts in Health and Human Services Policy, Appropriations, & Budget Strategies Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:54:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://mjsimonandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-Simon-Co-icon-32x32.png Simon&Co., LLC https://mjsimonandcompany.com/ 32 32 Overview of Medicare, Medicaid and Federal Exchange Contractors https://mjsimonandcompany.com/medicaid/overview-of-medicare-medicaid-and-federal-exchange-contractors/ Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:32:00 +0000 https://mjsimonandcompany.com/?p=2376 CMS and states use contractors to perform many tasks in Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Programs and the Exchanges. But there is much confusion as to what the contractors specifically do. This paper provides an overview of contractors related to eligibility determinations, data management systems, enrollment choices, program integrity efforts, and the collection and …

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]]> CMS and states use contractors to perform many tasks in Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Programs and the Exchanges. But there is much confusion as to what the contractors specifically do. This paper provides an overview of contractors related to eligibility determinations, data management systems, enrollment choices, program integrity efforts, and the collection and usage of personal information.

Overview of Medicare, Medicaid and Federal Exchange ContractorsDownload

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]]> A Month is a Long Time to Wait for a Meal: New USDA Data Shows Only One State Processes the Required Number of SNAP Applications Within One Month https://mjsimonandcompany.com/safety-net-programs/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program/a-month-is-a-long-time-to-wait-for-a-meal-new-usda-data-shows-only-one-state-processes-the-required-number-of-snap-applications-within-one-month/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:19:00 +0000 https://mjsimonandcompany.com/?p=2380 While many are focused on SNAP error rates, there are still long-standing issues with application timeliness processing (APT) rates that measure the percentage of applications processed within federal deadlines (30 days for standard applications and 7 days for expedited services). The USDA considers an APT rate of 95% or higher to be acceptable, while rates …

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]]> While many are focused on SNAP error rates, there are still long-standing issues with application timeliness processing (APT) rates that measure the percentage of applications processed within federal deadlines (30 days for standard applications and 7 days for expedited services). The USDA considers an APT rate of 95% or higher to be acceptable, while rates below 90% are considered untimely and may trigger federal intervention. If states consistently fail to meet the timeliness standard, they may be required to submit a Corrective Action Plan. In Fiscal Year 2024, only one state (Wisconsin) had an APT rate above 95% and only 12 states had an APT rate above 90%.

SNAP APT Rate FY 24Download

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]]> State by State Impact of Minimum Wage Announcement, February 9, 2026 https://mjsimonandcompany.com/press-and-publications/state-by-state-impact-of-minimum-wage-announcement-february-9-2026/ Tue, 10 Feb 2026 18:28:00 +0000 https://mjsimonandcompany.com/?p=2373 Among early Executive Orders, EO 13658 got little notice but significantly decreased the minimum wage for federal service contractors. The EO rescinded the previous Biden-era EO that established a non-indexed wage rate of $15.00 per hour, which was adjusted each subsequent year to a high of $17.20 per hour. The attached table provides a state-by-state …

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]]> Among early Executive Orders, EO 13658 got little notice but significantly decreased the minimum wage for federal service contractors. The EO rescinded the previous Biden-era EO that established a non-indexed wage rate of $15.00 per hour, which was adjusted each subsequent year to a high of $17.20 per hour. The attached table provides a state-by-state analysis of the new EO.

State by State Impact of New Federal Contractor Minimum Wage FinalDownload

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