DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S2-26-12 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 
 
Center for Medicaid, CHIP and Survey & Certification 
 
CMCS Informational Bulletin 
 
  
DATE:  March 28, 2012 
 
FROM:  Cindy Mann, Director 
  Center for Medicaid, CHIP and Survey & Certification (CMCS) 
 
SUBJECT:  Medicaid Information Technology Architecture Guidance  Version 3.0 
 
This informational bulletin announces the release of the Medicaid Information Technology 
Architecture (MITA) Framework, Version 3.0. 
 
Background 
 
MITA is an evolving CMS initiative that fosters an integrated business, information and 
technological approach to building management systems that are client-based and capable of 
sharing information across organizational silos based upon nationally recognized standards. 
 
MITA provides a common framework for all Medicaid stakeholders to focus on opportunities to 
build common and shared services by decoupling legacy systems and processes, and liberating 
data previously stored and contained in inaccessible silos. By providing such a framework for the 
Medicaid enterprise to plan, architect, engineer, and implement new and changing business 
requirements, the effort to modernize Medicaid Information Technology (IT) systems and 
processes becomes more stable, uniform, and lowers the risk of poor implementation. 
 
Major Changes to MITA 
 
This version takes into account the new legislative requirements outlined in the Health 
Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, the Childrens Health Insurance 
Program Reauthorization Act, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-
148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-152), 
together referred to as the Affordable Care Act, all of which went into effect since publication of 
MITA 2.0 in 2006.  
 
In addition, MITA 3.0 reflects the use of newer technologies such as cloud computing and our 
recent policies described in Guidance for Exchange and Medicaid Information Technology (IT) 
Systems, version 2.0 and the Enhanced Funding Requirements:  Seven Conditions and 
Standards, Medicaid IT Supplement, (MITS-11-01-v1.0).  
 
New sections to the Framework include assistance to states in the preparation of the MITA State 
Self Assessment, as well as Advanced Planning Documents that are used by states to obtain 
  Federal Financial Participation to match state expenditures on eligible Medicaid systems, and a 
reference guide listing locations of topics of interest throughout the Framework.  
 
Lastly, the Framework is consistent with our final rule entitled, Medicaid Program; Federal 
Funding for Medicaid Eligibility Determination and Enrollment Activities (Federal Register, 
Vol. 76, No. 75) effective April 19, 2011, which provides states with the authority to receive 
enhanced Federal funding in order to achieve a higher degree of interaction and interoperability 
across the Medicaid enterprise and the Health Insurance Exchanges. 
 
Because the Final Rule regarding the Medicaid Eligibility Changes under the Affordable Care 
Act of 2010 was released on March 16, 2012, the MITA 3.0 framework does not at this time, 
include member eligibility and enrollment business processes or capability matrices.  We are 
updating MITA 3.0 to include this information and additional information is forthcoming.  The 
requirement to prepare the State Self-Assessments within twelve months of release of MITA 3.0 
remains in effect; however, the time period for preparing the State Self-Assessment will not 
begin until CMS has released the member eligibility and enrollment business processes or 
capability matrices. 
 
MITA 3.0 
 
For convenience, the MITA 3.0 Framework can be reviewed on CMS Web site at 
http://www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-Topics/Data-and-
Systems/Medicaid-Information-Technology-Architecture-MITA.html.  The release of MITA 3.0 
follows several months of collaboration with national workgroups and careful consideration of 
the comments received during the 30-day public review period.  We appreciate the thought, 
effort, and time our stakeholders put into working with us to improve upon MITA 2.0 and the 
Draft MITA 3.0 Framework.  We look forward to continuing our work together to improve 
systems development across the Medicaid enterprise.   
 
We also anticipate holding future orientation conference calls on MITA 3.0 to ensure everyone 
has a clear understanding of what it is and how it can benefit Medicaid programs across the 
country. 
 
I hope you find this information helpful. Should you have questions regarding MITA 3.0, or the 
information contained herein, please contact Donna Schmidt, Acting Director, of our Division of 
State Systems at 410-786-5532, or by email at donna.schmidt@cms.hhs.gov.