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August 7, 2018

HCA selects evaluator for Washington's Medicaid Transformation effort

The Washington State Health Care Authority has executed a contract with the Center for Health Systems Effectiveness (CHSE) at Oregon Health & Science University to serve as the independent evaluator for Washington's Medicaid Transformation effort. 

CHSE's evaluation will assess the overall performance of Washington's Medicaid system as it is being reshaped by Medicaid Transformation. It will evaluate the performance of specific health improvement projects, and investigate the strategies the state is using to achieve its goals. These strategies include value-based payment arrangements, health information technology, and development of health care workforce capacity. 

Medicaid Transformation involves three initiatives. The first, Transformation through Accountable Communities of Health, is designed to build Washington's health system capacity and support regional health improvement projects. The second initiative, Long-term Services and Supports, is designed to support unpaid caregivers and help people who are receiving care stay in their homes. The third initiative, Foundational Community Supports, helps vulnerable people find and keep housing and employment.

CMS requires states to conduct independent evaluations of their waivers to discover, identify, and disseminate innovations that work. Medicaid Transformation is being carried out under a Section 1115 Medicaid waiver granted by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicaid waivers allow states to experiment with new approaches to their Medicaid programs to improve Medicaid. 

Lessons from the evaluation will be disseminated through a variety of evaluation reports and briefs.

• Learn more about Medicaid Transformation. 
• Learn more about CHSE.

The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity Number CMS-1G1-14-001 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.