Important Update on the Balancing Incentive Program (BIP) Innovation Fund RFA
As LeadingAge NY previously reported the Department of Health (DOH) was awarded the Balancing Incentive Program (BIP) grant in March 2013. BIP provides a financial incentive for states to enhance non-institutionally based Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS). As part of the BIP programmatic terms and conditions, DOH had to submit a final work plan within six months from the date of the initial application. The BIP work plan had to include the current status of the systems and milestones and deliverables to measure the State's progress towards the goal of non-institutionally based LTSS. Also included in the work plan are the amounts of project funds to be earned through participation in BIP, and how they will be used towards the three structural changes required by the statue: No Wrong Door/Single Point of Entry System, conflict-free case management and a core standarized assessment instrument.
Included in the posted BIP work plan are details on the three structural changes broken down into 13 objectives.
Following the November 2013 BIP work plan, DOH released a Request for Application (RFA) on March 21, 2014. As we reported last week the purpose of the RFA is to mitigate barriers to community-based care in all areas of New York State for Medicaid beneficiarcies. The primary focus is to increase the number of individuals served in non-institutitional settings, improve access to community-based LTSS, and engage stakeholders in creating service solutions that have lasting impact. As the RFA states, "it is an opportunity to think differently about how to best address barriers in transitioning from an institution to the community-based setting, or assist individuals to remain in the community."
Applications are due by May 7, 2014.
Questions are due this Friday, April 4, 2014. Please email them to BIP@health.state.ny.us with "Innovation Fund RFA" in the subject line. You can also submit your questions to me and I will forward them to DOH with other questions that I have received.
The BIP team has scheduled an informational webinar on the BIP Innovation Fund RFA for next Tuesday, April 8, 2014. The one hour webinar will begin at 10 a.m. The purpose of this webinar is to provide information on the recently issued BIP funding opportunity. Applicants for this RFA are not required to attend the webinar. Click here to register for the event.
After you register, you will receive a confirmation email from "messenger@webex.com." This email will include instructions for joining the event. According to DOH, if you do not receive a confirmation email within one hour, please check your spam or junk mail folder. In some cases, the email may be blocked by your organization's firewall. In this case, please contact your organization's IT unit.
If you have any immediate questions, please contact DOH via email at BIP@health.state.ny.us.
LeadingAge NY encourages members who have ideas on how to best address barriers for Medicaid patients for transitioning back home or diverting an institutional placement, to strongly consider responding to this RFA.
Contact: Cheryl Udell, cudell@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871