Jurisdiction 15: Announcement – Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) J15 Award Goes to CIGNA

The Government Accounting Office (GAO) has issued its ruling on the multiple protests filed regarding the award of the Jurisdiction 15 Ohio/Kentucky MAC to CIGNA. GAO has denied each of the protests filed by various contractors. In essence, CMS’ award of J15 to CIGNA was upheld. We do not have any further information at this time, including the dates of any transitions. Palmetto GBA will continue to perform all of our current services, and we will notify you as more information becomes available. Cigna has been awarded the Medicare carrier for Part A and Part B in Ohio. This means that over the next year, the administration of Medicare payments will transition from Palmetto GBA to Cigna. Jurisdiction 15, which includes Ohio, had been originally awarded to Highmark, but then challenged by several other carriers. As a result of the challenge, it was then awarded to Cigna, and challenged again by several carriers. The government has now overruled these appeals and the award went to Cigna. We do not yet have information regarding the exact dates of the transition. As such, Palmetto GBA will continue to perform all of the current services in the interim. The AMCNO will keep you informed as we learn more about Cigna and the transition dates or if other appeals are submitted.