The Department of Health and Human Services has announced that it has awarded $103 million to 27 states to find new ways to improve Medicaid efficiency, economy, and quality of care. Additional grants of $47 million will follow later this year. No state matching funds are required for these special "transformation grants."
In part, the funds will support more widespread use of electronic health records that can be accessed by whole treatment teams. States can also use the grants to improve rates of collection from estates that owe money to Medicaid; reduce Medicaid waste, fraud, and abuse; increase the use of generic drugs; improve access to primary care doctors and specialists for the uninsured using integrated university-based hospital and clinic systems; and implement a medication risk management program.
The awards vary in amount depending on each state’s application. Some states submitted more than one grant proposal and will receive funds for each project.
