Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) reforms

On April 14, 2014, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York has finalized terms and conditions with the federal government for a groundbreaking waiver that will allow the state to reinvest $8 billion in federal savings generated by Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) reforms. The MRT waiver amendment will transform the state's health care system, bend the Medicaid cost curve, and ensure access to quality care for all Medicaid members.

The Medicaid 1115 waiver amendment will enable New York to fully implement the MRT action plan, facilitate innovation, lower health care costs over the long term, and save scores of essential safety net providers from financial ruin. The waiver allows the state to reinvest over a five-year period $8 billion of the $17.1 billion in federal savings generated by MRT reforms.

The waiver amendment dollars will address critical issues throughout the state and allow for comprehensive reform through a Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. The DSRIP program will promote community-level collaborations and focus on system reform, specifically a goal to achieve a 25 percent reduction in avoidable hospital use over five years. Safety net providers will be required to collaborate to implement innovative projects focusing on system transformation, clinical improvement and population health improvement. Single providers will be ineligible to apply. All DSRIP funds will be based on performance linked to achievement of project milestones.

Key MRT initiatives:

• Fully Integrated Dual Advantage (FIDA) Demonstration
• Behavioral Health Transition to Managed Care
• Basic Health Program Workgroup
• Basic Benefit: Evidence Based-Dossier Submission Process
• Supportive Housing Initiatives
• NYS Balancing Incentive Program
• NYS Money Follows the Person Demonstration
• Quality Strategy of the Medicaid Managed Care Program
• Medicaid Redesign and Quality Measures 
• Care Management For All Transition Summary & Timeline