Pennsylvania is among 21 states that will receive State Innovation Models Initiative Model Design Awards from the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.
The award of $3 million will be used to

…engage a diverse group of stakeholders, including public and commercial payers, providers and consumers, to develop a State Health Care Innovation Plan.

The purpose of the state innovation models program is to support

…states that are prepared for or committed to planning, designing, testing, and supporting evaluation of new payment and service delivery models in the context of larger health system transformation. The Innovation Center is interested in testing innovative payment and service delivery models that have the potential to lower costs for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), while maintaining or improving quality of care for program beneficiaries.

The grant funds were awarded on a competitive basis, with funding decisions based on an initial round of state innovation model planning.  Michael Chirieleison, president of the Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP), served on the committee that developed the commonwealth’s state innovation model proposal.
Learn more about the federal State Innovation Models Initiative here.