CMS And ONC Push States To Innovate

By Megan Williams, contributing writer

As states work through a time of accountable care organizations (ACOs) and health information exchanges (HIEs) to lower costs and improve care, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) have announced new uses of resources that may help them in their struggles. The announcement represents a point of discussion, and possibly business for solutions providers connected to the government sector.

The ONC announced on April 2 it has made available a suite of Internet tools and resources, intended to aid states participating in the State Innovation Models initiative.

The Initiative

The customized program supports states in the planning and implementation of a fully-developed proposal used in launching statewide health transformation. The transformation goals include elements including a focus on Medicare and Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries. It is also a part of an U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) effort to improve care, spend better, and improve population health.

So far, $665 million has been awarded to 34 states, 3 territories, and the District Of Colombia.

The Resources

To develop the tools, CMS teamed up with ONC to leverage existing HIT (health IT) infrastructure and tools that are currently in use by state Medicaid systems and providers. Included are resources that can potentially aid states and providers in using HIT to manage care around both primary and behavioral health needs. All of these efforts represent a push to make sure that patients are getting the proper care, when they need it, and where they need it.

Availability

The majority of the tools and resources are accessible at HealthIT.gov and will also be available to states that may not be participants in the State Innovation Models initiative.

Karen DeSalvo, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc. and national coordinator for HIT comments, “These online resources are part of an overall effort to advance of goals of better care, smarter spending, and, ultimately, healthier people. We are focused on supporting states and partners in developing innovative ways to pay for healthcare, providing tools and resources to support change, and making more information available to consumer and patients to enable them to make the right decisions — at the right time — to improve health and care.”

Going Deeper

To learn more about the State Innovation Models initiative, please access the site here.