Both KFMC and KHC currently provide services to Kansas providers under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) Program and the Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC) Program. Both KHC and KFMC have worked within these programs independently, but collaboratively. Our organizations have a long history of successfully supporting Kansas providers and our staff live and work in the communities we serve.
Currently, CMS is planning to release the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the CMS QIN-QIO 13th Statement of work (SOW, or 13th iteration of the QIO work). As such, CMS is making significant changes to the program, that you may or may not be aware of.
Those changes include:
- Currently, there are 12 QIN-QIO Contractors operating in self-defined regions; under the 13th SOW CMS has defined specific regions to align with HHS’ Regional Offices and ensure equitable distribution of “effort” from region to region; CMS is proposing further compression to 7 QIN-QIO Contractors in directed regions.
- Kansas falls into CMS Region 6 representing 14 states:
- CMS will award one task order for each of the seven regions unlike the current 12th SOW design of separate task orders for HQIC (hospital) and QIN QIO (NH and Community)
- A QIN-QIO will be accountable for a region, inclusive of the identified member states, multiple provider and facility types and communities.
As you can imagine, this will create quite a bit of competition in each region, as multiple current contractors are operating in each of the defined regions. To ensure we can continue the work we are doing, and prevent disruption from outside contractors, KFMC and KHC have committed to working together in responding to the pending RFP. Together, KFMC and KHC possess powerful reach and collective knowledge and expertise that will bring even greater value to providers and consumers of healthcare in the state of Kansas.
KFMC and KHC will join with an innovative national partner, Comagine Health, to provide the boots on ground technical assistance in Kansas should we be successful in our bid for the CMS QIN-QIO 13th SOW. Comagine Health has served as a QIN-QIO for 40 years, currently providing support to health care providers in Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington to improve care delivered to people with Medicare. As CMS has announced changes to the QIN-QIO program in the future, Comagine has reaffirmed their commitment to local governance, “we want local industry leaders to shape how Comagine Health can optimally support the quality improvement and related work of health care providers and communities.”