Grants totaling over $665 million will go to 28 states, 3 territories and the District Columbia to design and test innovative and delivery models aimed at improving quality and lowering costs under the Act.
and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell, announced the awards, funded by the Act, Dec. 16. A previous round awards with similar goals was released in early 2013.
Examples the initiatives funded by the awards include:
- Patient-centered medical homes to improve primary .
- Providing technical assistance and data to and payers who are working integrated or -based models.
- Creating unified quality measure scorecards for payers and .
- Expanding the use information technology.
- Encouraging primary medical , behavioral and public services to work together more closely.
- Providing education and training to physicians and community workers.
“These funds will support states in integrating and coordinating the many elements – including, public, and private delivery systems – to the benefit patients, businesses, and taxpayers alike,” said Secretary Burwell.
According to HHS preliminary estimates, the various innovation models and quality improvements it has supported have helped reduce hospital readmissions by 150,000, or nearly 8%, between 2007 and 2013, and have saved 50,000 lives and $12 billion in spending from 2010 to 2013.