1115 WAIVER UPDATE: The Department of Health launched a statewide hub on Friday to coordinate and plan health equity initiatives through its Medicaid 1115 waiver program. The Health Equity Regional Organization is designed to research and assess the $7.5 billion pilot program, which aims to use Medicaid funds to pay for social services including nutrition boxes, non-medical transportation and rent. The Health Equity Regional Organization, or HERO, will be led by the Midtown-based nonprofit United Hospital Fund.
CDPAP PROGRESS: More than 12,000 home care users statewide have started to register with Public Partnerships LLC, the company set to take over the state’s popular Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, the Health Department said Friday. Health officials are overseeing a widespread consolidation of the home care program that must be completed by April 1 under state law, and must transfer 240,000 New Yorkers to the new company by that date. The state’s pace has drawn skepticism from the home care industry and advocates who say it’s unlikely officials will be able to pull off the consolidation within that timeline.
TELEHEALTH USE: More than 25,000 911 calls have been redirected to a telehealth service operated by the public hospital system since the program launched in 2020. The program launched at the height of the pandemic when health systems were overloaded, to date helping to avoid more than 12,000 ambulance trips, Health + Hospitals and the fire department announced on Thursday. The program, known as Virtual ExpressCare, is used to transfer 911-callers with non-emergency needs to remote clinicians. The system helps emergency medical services teams treat low-acuity cases at the scene, reducing pressure on emergency departments, H+H said.
