What is the Medicaid Transformation?

In 2016, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) and the State of Washington signed a contract for implementation of a 5-year Medicaid Transformation (formerly known as the Waiver).

The Medicaid Transformation includes three major initiatives:

• Initiative 1: Transformation through Accountable Communities of Health
• Initiative 2: Long-term services and supports
• Initiative 3: Supportive housing and supported employment

Initiative 1, which will be supported by about $1.125B of the Transformation’s total $1.5B in funding over 5 years, will build incentives for providers who are committed to changing how we deliver care. Each region, through its Accountable Community of Health (ACH), is able to pursue projects aimed at transforming the Medicaid delivery system to serve the whole person and use resources more wisely. In short, we are investing in partnerships and capacity to improve health and transform how healthcare is delivered across the North Central region.

The NCACH, which is comprised of Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties, selected six care transformation projects to implement from the Medicaid Transformation Project Toolkit. They are:

• Bi-Directional Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care
• Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
• Community-Based Care Coordination
• Diversion Intervention
• Transitional Care
• Addressing the Opioid Use Public Health Crisis

For more information on each project, upcoming meetings, and project documents, click on the appropriate link above.