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Arizona’s Medicaid agency, the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), has launched several health information exchange (HIE) initiatives in recent years in efforts to improve health equity for the American Indian population.
Health disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people are vast, ranging from greater difficulties affording healthcare to poor maternity care access and high infant mortality rates.
Over the last five years, AHCCCS has incorporated HIE incentives into its differential adjusted payment (DAP) program, according to Melissa Kotrys, CEO of Contexture, the HIE that covers Arizona and Colorado.
“It started with incentivizing acute care hospitals in Arizona, and now we have HIE incentives built into the DAP program and collaboration with Medicaid across many different populations,” Kotrys said during a Civitas 2022 Annual Conference presentation. “In the last year, we have included incentives for HIE participation for Indian Health Service and tribally owned 638 facilities.”