State Representative Barbara Sears (R-Monclova) today announced that the Medicaid Information Technology System (MITS)—the new payment system for health care providers that serve Medicaid populations—will go live on Tuesday, August 2nd. This system will modernize Ohio’s Medicaid program and will benefit health care providers, Medicaid beneficiaries and Ohio taxpayers.

“70,000 Medicaid providers and millions of Ohioans are affected by MITS,” Sears said. “MITS has taken six years to implement, and I’m happy that this administration has made it a huge priority.”

The new system will allow faster claims processing, improved payment accuracy, user-friendly web access to providers and consumers, continuous system enhancements and reduced administrative costs, while giving Ohioans a better product at a lower cost. It will also help to reduce mistaken or fraudulent claims.

Ohio’s existing Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) is a 20-year-old system with significant limitations on how the state manages policy changes, data and payment to providers. This outdated technology makes it more difficult, costly and time-consuming to enact even minor policy changes within Medicaid.

Currently, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is offering MITS training sessions throughout the state. Starting on August 2nd, providers may contact the ODJFS Office of Ohio Health Plans at 1-800-686-1516 with any questions, and non-provider groups may call 1-888-5MITS-HLP for assistance.

“As Ohio moves forward in using this new system, please consider my office as your resource on this issue,” said Sears. “I encourage you to contact my office with any questions or concerns about the transition to this new system.”

MITS is designed to process about 64 million health care claims each year.