How New York Is Using a Federal Incentive Program to Drive Health Care Delivery Transformation in Medicaid

The Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program provides states with the opportunity to obtain waivers, along with necessary funding, to restructure the way health care is delivered to Medicaid beneficiaries. The approval of the New York DSRIP waiver in April 2014 marked a shift in course among states, as New York is focusing squarely on transforming Medicaid’s care delivery system and revamping payment to support the changes long-term. New York’s approach has been drawing interest across the country for its initiatives to reduce avoidable hospital admissions, facilitate real-time data exchange, improve disease management, and transition to value-based payment. To inform other states, Deborah Bachrach and her team will investigate the organizational, programmatic, and financial structures that New York has set up to transform its Medicaid program. To ensure their work’s relevance, they will query policymakers and officials from interested states on the specific aspects of New York’s program they wish to learn more about.