HHS awards more than $665 million to design and test state-led efforts to improve health care quality, accessibility and affordability

Twenty eight states, three territories and the District of Columbia will receive over $665 million in Affordable Care Act funding to design and test health care payment and service delivery models that will improve health care quality and lower costs, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced today.  Together with awards released in early 2013, over half of states (34 states and 3 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 health care 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 health care providers.
• Strengthening the health care workforce through educational programs, inter-professional training, primary care residencies and community health worker training.