By November 16, the Health Care Authority (HCA) is requiring all Accountable Communities of Health (ACHs) to submit a project plan that will guide their Medicaid demonstration work. The HCA recently released the draft Project Plan Template, supplemental workbook and recently updated draft Project Toolkit. These materials now contain important timelines and implementation guidance for the ACHs and providers. One major change for all projects is that 2018 is a planning year with implementation expected by late 2019. WSHA will submit comments on the materials by the June 30 deadline.
Following the comment period, the final Project Plan Template is slated to be released in mid-July. ACHs are in the process of making decisions now on what projects to pursue. Project Templates will inform the allocation of up to $138 million statewide in Medicaid Transformation Demonstration funds for year one of the five-year demonstration. An ACH’s year-one demonstration dollars are based on Medicaid enrollment and the number of projects selected.
HCA is requiring all ACHs to submit two specific projects: bidirectional behavioral health clinical integration and addressing opioid use. ACHs must also select at least two other projects but may select up to six other projects. WSHA strongly encourages hospitals and health systems that are interested to get involved in ACH project decisions. (Chelene Whiteaker)
