Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) announced that the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) received a $23 million Health Care Innovation Award to test new ideas and innovative models to deliver improved care, lower costs and better health to children enrolled in Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), particularly those with the greatest health care needs. St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa is one of 10 children’s hospitals under CHA umbrella effort.

“St. Joseph’s Chronic-Complex Clinic serves as a medical home for medically complex children – those with Down Syndrome, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease or other serious conditions -- and stands out as a national model to better serve all kids and families across the country,” U.S. Rep. Castor said. “This grant will improve what St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is already doing to serve medically complex children and provides the resources needed to share its expertise to the entire cohort of hospitals named as prospective recipients of this grant.” U.S. Rep. Castor chairs the Children’s Health Care Caucus in Congress and supported the innovation grant to CHA. 

The grant would support St. Joseph’s data collection to establish the quality metrics needed to develop a more enhanced medical home model that could be replicated in other states.

“St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is extremely proud to be a hospital partner in a CMS Health Care Innovation Award announced today to the national Children’s Hospital Association,” said Kimberly Guy, president of St Joseph’s Children’s and Women’s Hospitals. “Caring for medically complex children is our passion and this grant will allow us to take our care at the Chronic-Complex Clinic, a nationally recognized medical home for medically complex children, to the next level. We are grateful to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for financially supporting care coordination and families.” 

Testing the success of medical homes for chronically complex children supports the Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act (ACE Kids Act), a bipartisan bill recently introduced by U.S. Reps. Castor and Joe Barton (R-TX) that proposes creating national pediatric networks to better serve children like 5-year-old Jaden Vidal-Velasquez of Tampa. He and his family were in Washington D.C. in late June to help announce U.S. Rep. Castor’s ACE Kids Act. (see attached photo)

“Children like Jaden from Tampa will get improved, more efficient medical care under the ACE Kids Act. Jaden's heart problem and serious complications have been treated at St. Joseph’s Chronic-Complex Clinic. His parents have saved time and money, and instead can focus their time and energy on their son’s health,” U.S. Rep. Castor said. “Jaden requires the attention of several pediatric specialists and finds a network of these specialists at St. Joseph’s Chronic-Complex Clinic, and this grant is recognition of St. Joseph’s innovative work with medically complex children.” 

A medical home that anchors medical and social services to these sick children is also expected to better contain costs. Two of the 3 million of the nation’s sickest children are covered by Medicaid, which currently operates under a fragmented system that varies state-by-state and lacks in care coordination, quality measures and cost containment, especially for these children and families who cross state lines to access care.

The prospective awards range from an expected $2 million to $23.8 million over a three-year period. These awards are made possible by the Affordable Care Act and prospective recipients named today will receive their final notice of award later this summer. 

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