The New York State Department of Health (DOH) last week released its draft Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program amendment request. DOH sent the request—for $8 billion over a four-year period—to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and also released it for public comment. Half of the request ($4 billion) would be allocated in the first year, including $500 million for a new iteration of the Interim Access Assurance Fund for safety net providers.
Public comments on the draft amendment are due to the State by November 4.
The State would build upon the current DSRIP program’s promising practices and incorporate additional initiatives in alignment with Federal goals. The funding would be provided to “Value-Driving Entities” (VDEs), teams that would comprise a performing provider system (PPS) currently operational under DSRIP (or a PPS subset) and partner with providers, community-based organizations, and Medicaid managed care organizations. The new DSRIP program would provide more time for value-based payment (VBP) arrangements to mature and eventually be reflected in New York’s VBP Roadmap.
The amendment request also notes VDEs’ potential to work on priority projects that focus on New York’s high-need issues, including reducing maternal mortality, improving children’s health, and making improvements to the long-term care system.