RESTON, VA., June 24, 2021 – Empower AI (formerly NCI), a leading provider of advanced information technology solutions and professional services to U.S. federal government agencies, today announced its C3HUB tool supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program was recognized with a 2021 FedHealthIT Innovation Award.

The CERT program plays a vital role for CMS and the nation’s health care system by estimating improper payment rates for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance (CHIP) programs, including both fee-for-service and managed-care payments. CMS reports those rates to the U.S. Congress, the states and the District of Columbia (DC).

Given the program’s visibility, the program’s results must be generated in a timely and accurate manner, requiring clear and constant communication with all stakeholders, including each of the 50 states and DC’s Medicaid teams, CMS personnel, and multiple contractors.

Additionally, each of these entities are required to manage and maintain mountains of documentation for the program.To address these challenges and help reduce state burden, Empower AI created a team-based collaboration solution called the C3HUB Application (C3 = Coordination + Collaboration + Communications).

Launched in January 2021, C3HUB enables all stakeholders to share information about claims under-review, track errors, enhance communications, and collaborate in real-time. A key innovation of the C3HUB is its fully integrated collaboration capabilities, ensuring that business and collaboration activities are woven together, providing a seamless experience for users.

The annual FedHealthIT Innovation Award recognizes and honors the federal health technology and consulting community by celebrating programs nominated and selected by their peers for driving innovation and results across the Department of Veterans Affairs, Military Health, Health and Human Services, and CMS. Winners were recognized during a virtual event June 22-23.

“It’s an honor to be recognized for the Innovation Award and to serve CMS on the CERT program,” said Empower AI President and CEO Paul Dillahay. “And it is an absolute privilege to support HHS and CMS for more than 20 years with solutions that make such a positive difference. We look forward to continuing that service and helping CMS achieve its mission of strengthening and modernizing our nation’s health care system.”