VAP Awards May Be Announced Soon

With federal approval just having been received for a key part of the Vital Access Provider (VAP) program, award announcements are expected soon from DOH on provider applications submitted beginning October 2012.

VAP is intended to provide temporary rate enhancements to nursing homes, hospitals and Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs) that are reconfiguring, converting, decertifying or integrating services with other providers or affected by other providers undertaking these activities. Providers can apply for VAP funding if they are facing financial challenges in ensuring access to essential health services for poor populations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently approved New York's Medicaid State Plan Amendment for the hospital VAP program, and had previously approved the nursing home component. The CHHA program review was still pending with CMS as of this writing.

To date, over 150 providers have applied for over $1.3 billion in VAP funding, and awards were made to a relatively small number of nursing homes and hospitals in phase 1. A total of $182 million – which includes $30 million earmarked for nursing homes from the financially disadvantaged facility program – is available in SFY 2013-14 to support Phase 1 and Phase 2 awards. The state’s Medicaid Redesign waiver request, which is currently pending with CMS, would provide up to $300 million per year for the VAP program over five years.

Contact: Dan Heim, dheim@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8866