Improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of publicly financed health care
FAQs
Following are answers to basic questions about CHCS. For additional information, please send an e-mail to webmaster@chcs.org.
- What does CHCS do?
- How is CHCS funded?
- How long has CHCS existed? Why was it founded?
- How does CHCS improve health care services?
- Who uses CHCS' services?
- Are there comparable organizations to CHCS in the field of health care quality improvement?
- How can states and health plans improve quality?
- What are CHCS multi-stakeholder collaborative efforts?
- What is the CHCS Purchasing Institute?
- What is BCAP?
The Center for Health Care Strategies is a nonprofit, health policy resource center that works to improve health care services for low-income populations and people with chronic health needs. We know that only 50 percent of us get the right health care at any given time - CHCS believes that we can do better, particularly for people with the most serious health care needs and the frail elderly. Our work helps states and health plans ensure that people served by Medicaid, particularly those with chronic health problems and disabilities, receive the most cost-effective, best quality care.
CHCS began with a major grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Today we continue to receive RWJF funding as well as support from other major health care foundations, government agencies, and corporations committed to innovative solutions for publicly financed care, including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Commonwealth Fund, The California HealthCare Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as well as Kaiser Permanente and others.
3. How long has CHCS existed? Why was it founded?
CHCS was founded in 1995 by Stephen A. Somers, PhD, who currently serves as CHCS president. He founded CHCS with an initial grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help states and health plans adopt effective managed care strategies to improve health services for Medicaid recipients.
4. How does CHCS improve health care services?
CHCS works collaboratively with state Medicaid agencies, health plans, and providers to design and test innovative strategies to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of health care. CHCS' work has a broad focus - from children with asthma to adults with multiple chronic diseases and disabilities. Yet, the underlying theme for all of our work is the same - making sure that people get the right care at the right time and for the right price.
CHCS provides technical assistance and training primarily to state Medicaid agencies and Medicaid health plans, but also to Medicaid providers, federal agencies, consumer groups, community-based organizations, health services researchers, and other Medicaid stakeholders.
6. Are there comparable organizations to CHCS in the field of health care quality improvement?
CHCS is the only national organization devoted primarily to improving quality in Medicaid and developing practical and innovative solutions for addressing implementation problems "on the ground." We know from experience that "implementation is where policy falls down" - the best laid policy will not come to fruition without thoughtful implementation. Our work is nonpartisan and all of our findings, best practice models, and tools are available in the public domain to benefit all stakeholders and consumers.
7. How can states and health plans improve quality?
CHCS works with state Medicaid agencies and health plans to improve health care quality for people with complex and special health care needs. We help these stakeholders implement strategies that are critical to comprehensive quality improvement, including:
Evidence-based practices; Standardized process and outcome measures; Health information technology; Continuous quality improvement; Pay-for-performance; Care management; Integrated care approaches; and Consumer engagement strategies.
8. What are CHCS multi-stakeholder collaborative efforts?
No single health care provider, purchaser or payer can improve the quality of chronic care in a substantial way on its own. CHCS' multi-stakeholder collaboratives bring together various mixes of public and commercial payers, health plans, providers, consumer groups, and state and federal policy experts to align quality improvement strategies and initiatives, thereby increasing the likelihood of success, scalability and sustainability. Examples of multi-stakeholder collaborations are CHCS' Regional Quality Improvement (RQI) initiative and Purchasing Institutes.
9. What is the CHCS Purchasing Institute?
Through CHCS Purchasing Institutes, CHCS brings together state Medicaid staff to build their capacity to improve quality. Current CHCS Purchasing Institutes are helping states to assess the return on investment for quality improvement activities, to develop effective managed care approaches for people with disabilities, and to design provider pay for performance strategies in Medicaid.
Best Clinical and Administrative Practices, known as BCAP®, is a continuous quality improvement framework developed by CHCS to respond to the needs of Medicaid populations. CHCS works closely with Medicaid health plans to pursue a standardized approach to quality improvement within targeted clinical areas and for select populations. The health plans use the BCAP Quality Framework to identify and stratify high-risk populations and develop realistic outreach and intervention solutions.