Andy Slavitt and AVIA to lead new Medicaid Transformation Project
The organization aligned 17 health systems to work toward decreasing Medicaid costs and improving care.
Seventeen health systems, comprising 280 hospitals, are joining the Medicaid Transformation Project, a new national effort to develop financially sustainable solutions that improve the health of underserved individuals and save providers money.
Health systems spend an average of $23,400 more for Medicaid-eligible patients' acute behavioral needs than on other populations, according to a released statement from the project.
The Medicaid Transformation Project is led by AVIA, a network for health systems seeking to innovate, and Andy Slavitt, former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and founder and general partner of Town Hall Ventures.
Slavitt and others founded Town Hall Ventures in May to invest in entrepreneurs and startups that are improving the health of underserved populations.
"The current healthcare system fails the people who need it most," Slavitt said. "The Medicaid Transformation Project will be part of a decade-long journey leading some of the best health systems in the country. Our work will be to deepen and refine the best innovations and then implement them at an accelerated pace at providers across the country."
The health systems will do this through shared digital solutions and innovative care models focusing on five challenges facing the estimated 75 million Americans who rely on Medicaid. These include behavioral health, women and infant care, substance use disorder and avoidable emergency department visits.
Five health systems are anchoring the work: Advocate Aurora Health in Chicago and Wisconsin; Baylor Scott and White Health in Dallas; Dignity Health in San Francisco; Geisinger in Danville, Pennsylvania; and Providence St. Joseph Health in Renton, Washington.
"Healthcare today must be consumer-centric, and engage patients with personalized experiences," said Lloyd Dean, president and CEO of Dignity Health. "Together, we must bring down healthcare costs in order to provide access for the most vulnerable communities. It is my hope that our collaboration will unleash new avenues that bring down barriers to care and improve the overall health of our communities."
The other 12 systems are: Allina Health, Ballad Health, Christiana Care Health System, Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Henry Ford Health System, Memorial Hermann Health System, Navicent Health, OSF HealthCare, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Rush University Medical Center, Spectrum Health and UVA Health System.
Collectively the 17 health systems span 21 states, over 53,000 hospital beds, and over $100 billion in combined annual revenues.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com
