Identifying and examining current quality and efficiency efforts will enable states to make informed decisions about how to use the resources provided by the ACA to enhance existing quality efforts or to develop new efforts that complement existing efforts.

*Milestone details:

*Full name: Assess existing state efforts to support health care quality and health system efficiency.

*Relevance to the ACA:

The ACA provides several supports and potential templates to states for the evaluation of current quality and efficiency related policies and programs, but does not require an assessment of all existing state efforts. Relevant provisions include:

§2801 - Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission assessment of policies affecting all Medicaid beneficiaries including those affecting quality of care, interaction with Medicare, and enrollment and retention processes.

§2951 - Requires all states to assess statewide needs and identify at risk communities including the quality and capacity of existing programs or initiatives for early childhood home visitation as a condition of receiving funds under §501 of Title V of the Social Security Act.

§4102 - Improvements to the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System which provides state-specific data for planning and evaluating health programs to improve the health of mothers and infants by reducing adverse outcomes.