HHS to Dedicate $1 Billion to Innovation

The Department of Health and Human Services will dedicate $1 billion dollars to innovative projects across the country that is intended to deliver high quality medical care and save money. Launched today by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Health Care Innovation Challenge will also give preference to projects that rapidly hire, train and deploy health care workers.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement that public and private community organizations around the country are finding innovative solutions to improve healthcare systems. Funded by the Affordable Care Act, the Health Care Innovation Challenge will award grants in March to applicants who will implement the most compelling new ideas to deliver better health, improved care and lower costs to people enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, particularly those with the highest health care needs.

The Challenge will support projects that can begin within six months. Additionally, projects that focus on rapid workforce development will be given priority when grants are awarded. Awards will be expected to range from approximately $1 million to $30 million over three years. Applications are open to providers, payers, local government, community-based organizations and particularly to public-private partnerships and multipayer approaches. Each grantee project will be evaluated and monitored for measurable improvements in quality of care and savings generated.