Project ECHO® offers an innovative model to extend the reach of specialty health care services. By linking expert specialist teams at an academic medical center (aka hub) with primary care clinicians in local communities (aka spokes), Project ECHO expands access to specialty care in underserved areas. Medicaid, as the primary health care payer for low-income Americans, is particularly well positioned to benefit from Project ECHO.
This technical assistance tool outlines Medicaid financing options for supporting Project ECHO — including approaches that are currently being used as well as strategies that are not yet operational. It was developed by the Center for Health Care Strategies as part of the Project ECHO Medicaid Learning Collaborative, a multi-state learning collaborative to promote long-term Medicaid policy and financing strategies for Project ECHO in states across the country.
Additional Resources
- Financing Project ECHO: Options for State Medicaid Programs – This brief highlights how four states leveraged Medicaid support for Project ECHO. It outlines design considerations for specific delivery system environments and broad considerations for program sustainability.
- Medicaid Financing For Project ECHO: Strategies for Engaging State Medicaid Officials – This fact sheet, designed for ECHO hub leaders who are interested in building the case for Medicaid financing with state policymakers, outlines considerations for engaging state Medicaid officials.
