On May 15, 2013, CMS announced they are making up to $1 billion available for Health Care Innovation Awards.  Additional information can be found here.  A CMS press release is available here.  CMS has also posted a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs), which are available here.

CMS notes that it is specifically seeking proposals in the following categories:

• Models that are designed to rapidly reduce Medicare, Medicaid, and/or CHIP costs in outpatient and/or post-acute settings. In its FAQs, CMS indicated that priority areas include diagnostic services, outpatient radiology, high-cost physician-administered drugs, home based services, therapeutic services and post-acute services.

• Models that improve care for populations with specialized needs. CMS notes that priority areas include treatment for those with Alzheimer’s disease, HIV/AIDS, serious behavioral health need, pediatric and adolescent populations, and those requiring long-term services and supports.

• Models that test approaches for specific types of providers to transform their financial and clinical models.  CMS’ priority areas include models for specific physician specialties, including pediatricians who treat children with complex medical needs.

• Models that improve the health of populations through activities focused on engaging beneficiaries, prevention, wellness, and comprehensive care that extend beyond the clinical service delivery setting.  Examples of some CMS-identified priority areas include models that integrate clinical care with community-based interventions, integration between behavioral health care and primary care, and models that develop population-based interventions.

Letters of intent are due between June 1 and June 28.  Applications are due between June 14th and August 15th.  Applications must include a “design of a payment model that is consistent with the new service delivery model” being proposed.