Medicaid 1115 Waiver
The Medicaid 1115 Transformation Waiver, administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, strives to improve the effectiveness of services provided to low-income patients, who often suffer disproportionately from cancer and other chronic conditions.
The program provides incentives to institutions that enhance access to care, increase the quality and/or cost-effectiveness of care provided, and improve the health of the patients and families served. The federal government, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), matches funds provided by MD Anderson to support community-based cancer screening and quality improvement of clinical care.
MD Anderson is in the Regional Healthcare Partnership 3 (RHP 3), serving a nine-county area in the communities of Austin, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, Matagorda, Waller and Wharton counties.
As part of the Delivery Service Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) portion of the program, MD Anderson is working to improve quality of care in the areas of care transitions, cancer screening, adult dental care, palliative care and hospital safety. Each year we report our progress towards performance improvement goals for 27 clinical measures.
In order to reach populations beyond MD Anderson walls, we have collaborated with a local Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Spring Branch Community Health Centers. Three MD Anderson community-based programs are being implemented within their clinic system. See project descriptions below.
The Office of Health Policy provides program administration support and oversight for three funded MD Anderson projects: Colorectal Cancer Screening Project, Project VALET and Skin Cancer Screening and Education (Project DERM).
Colorectal Cancer Screening Project
Eligible low-income and underinsured patients in this region receive Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) take-home tests when they get their flu shots at a participating clinic. Patients receive instructions, a reminder of the importance of screening, educational materials and contact information for questions.
Project VALET
After a clinical breast exam, uninsured, low-income or Medicaid-eligible women, ages 40 to 74, are offered a screening mammogram and are scheduled by their primary care clinician for an appointment on MD Anderson’s mobile mammography van. Patients receive reminder calls and information on what to expect on the day of their screening. This project increases capacity and expands the geographic coverage with the help of additional vans.
Skin Cancer Screening and Education (Project DERM)
Eligible low-income or underinsured are offered free full body cancer screens by a dermatologist at participating clinics.