The federal Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is encouraging states to develop and test state-based models to transform health care payment and delivery systems. The program is called the State Innovation Models Initiative, or SIM. CMMI hopes that the best ideas make a real difference in the health of a state’s residents and that the ideas eventually can be shared and brought to scale nationally.

2. What is Colorado’s SIM project?

CMMI has awarded Colorado $2 million to strengthen a plan that we submitted in September 2012. Our revised and updated plan will describe Colorado’s overall strategy to achieve the Triple Aim of better health, better patient experiences and lower costs. It will also detail Colorado’s proposed health care innovation model, which focuses on integrating behavioral and physical health in primary care medical homes.

In short, the state innovation plan – which we are calling the Colorado Health Care Innovation Plan – will be our strategic roadmap to transforming our health care system.
SIM’s ten frequently asked questions