N.H. wins $2m to design new payment delivery model

New Hampshire will receive up to $2 million in federal funds to design health care payment and service delivery models aimed at improving health care quality and lowering costs.

Nationwide, 28 states, three territories and the District of Columbia will receive a total of over $665 million in Affordable Care Act funding, through the Department of Health and Human Services, to design and implement the payment and service delivery models.

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 comprehensive state-based innovation in health system transformation, said HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell.

“We are committed to partnering with New Hampshire to advance the goals we all share: better care, smarter spending and, ultimately, healthier people,” said Burwell. “We’re seeing states do some very innovative things when it comes to improving the ways we deliver care, pay providers and distribute information. These funds will support states in integrating and coordinating the many elements of health care – including Medicaid, Medicare, public health, and private health care delivery systems – to the benefit of patients, businesses and taxpayers alike.”

State Innovation Model funds will be used to support states in planning or implementing a customized, fully developed proposal capable of creating statewide health transformation, such as:

 • 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 between 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.