CMS, CDC, & HRSA LAUNCH HIV HEALTH IMPROVEMENT AFFINITY GROUP FOR STATE MEDICAID PROGRAMS

June 24, 2016 • By AIDS.gov

This week the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced the launch of a new joint initiative: the HIV Health Improvement Affinity Group [PDF 91 KB].

The HIV Health Improvement Affinity Group will bring together state public health and Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies to collaboratively improve health outcomes for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees living with HIV by identifying opportunities to strengthen the HIV care continuum among these populations. Participating state public health and Medicaid/CHIP programs will have an opportunity to learn about and share best and promising approaches with their state peers to improve viral load suppression among people living with HIV who are enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. State teams will also receive direct technical assistance that:

Supports improved HIV-related outcomes among Medicaid and CHIP enrollees; and
Builds stronger relationships among state Medicaid/CHIP programs, state public health departments, and other partners (e.g., primary care associations (PCAs), federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), local health departments, and other relevant public and private entities).

Participating states each will develop and implement one or more performance improvement projects. Expressions of interest from states are due in August. The 12-month project period will begin with a kick-off meeting of representatives from the participating states in October.

The initiative is among the actions that the participating federal agencies committed to executing in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy Federal Action Plan.

For more information about the HIV Health Improvement Affinity Group and the application process, please visit https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/by-topics/benefits/prevention.html or contact Abigail Viall at 404-639-2010 or aviall@cdc.gov.