FIDA Demonstration Extension Announcement

November 9, 2016

Dear Colleagues:

It is with great enthusiasm that I write to announce that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the New York Department of Health (NYSDOH) have made a final decision to extend the FIDA Demonstration through December 31, 2019.

The FIDA Demonstration was originally approved to run from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017. Last year, CMS offered states an opportunity to extend their demonstrations through December, 2019. Having previously submitted a non–binding letter of intent to extend the demonstration, NYSDOH has now formally accepted the opportunity from CMS and has officially committed to the two–year extension.

NYSDOH and CMS are committed to providing maximum integration of care to dual eligibles to ensure all medically necessary services are provided, promote care in the community, and reduce avoidable hospitalizations and nursing facility stays. As you know, FIDA fully integrates Medicare and Medicaid benefits in a way not previously available in New York State.

Although we are approaching the end of the second demonstration year, we are still early on in terms of understanding the impact of FIDA, particularly following the updates made last winter.

The two–year extension will allow NYSDOH and CMS to maximize our experience with fully integrated care and assess the demonstration's impact on quality and cost while engaging stakeholders in planning for the future.

We appreciate the engagement of stakeholders in developing and implementing FIDA, and we remain committed to improving care for dual eligibles in New York State as we move ahead.

Pending final review of the Medicare provider networks, we anticipate rolling out FIDA to Region 2 in 2017. More information about this will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead.

Sincerely,

Andrew Segal

Director, Division of Long Term Care
Office of Health Insurance Programs