Dec 16
2014
HHS Gives $665 Million for State-led State Innovation Models to “Improve” Healthcare Quality
Twenty eight states, three territories and the District of Columbia will receive more than $665 million in Affordable Care Act funding to design and test healthcare payment and service delivery models that will try to improve healthcare quality and lower costs, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced.
Together with awards released in early 2013, more than half of states (34 states and three territories and the District of Columbia), representing nearly two-thirds of the population are participating in efforts to support comprehensive state-based innovation in health system transformation aimed at finding new and innovative ways to improve quality and lower costs.
The State Innovation Models initiative supports states in planning or implementing a customized, fully developed proposal capable of creating statewide health transformation to improve health care. Example initiatives include:
- Improving primary care through patient centered medical homes, building upon current Accountable Care Organization models or integrating primary care and behavioral health services.
- Providing technical assistance and data to healthcare providers and payers that are working to advance models of integrated, team-based care, or transition to value-based payment models.
- Creating unified quality measure score cards that health care payers and providers can use to align quality improvement and value-based payment methodologies.
- Expanding the adoption of health information technology to improve patient care.
- Fostering partnerships among public, behavioral and primary healthcare providers.
- Strengthening the healthcare workforce through educational programs, inter-professional training, primary care residencies and community health worker training.