Focus on State Innovation Model (SIM) for Healthcare

Lawmakers this year created a revenue source to fund a new state healthcare initiative called the State Innovation Model (SIM).

Stemming from federal healthcare legislation, SIM aims to increase healthcare quality and reduce costs by focusing on a whole-person-centered health care system.

A 26-member steering committee, chaired by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, will continue to meet over the summer to determine the design of SIM. In addition, four workgroups of the committee will add their input to the process, concentrating on:

• Care delivery
• Payment reform
• Health information technology
• Workforce task force

The new funding for SIM is included in an existing assessment under the Connecticut Insurance Department and will fund nine new positions within the Office of Healthcare Advocate to focus on the project.
In addition, SIM has received $2.8 million in federal planning dollars and the state in the process applying for about $50 million additional federal dollars to implement the plan.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Jennifer Herz at 860.244.1921 | jennifer.herz@cbia.com | @CBIAjherz