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Ohio Awarded $3M Grant To Improve Health Systems

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Ohio is being awarded $3 million in federal money to expand an approach to better coordinate medical care for patients and change how certain procedures are paid for.

State officials said Thursday the grant would be used to design a lump payment for certain high-cost medical cases, such as a patient's hip replacement. The idea is that payment would be linked to the overall case, rather than the series of medical services needed for treatment.

The grant also will go toward extending the use of so-called patient-centered medical homes, a model of primary care focused on keeping patients healthy. The approach is aimed at avoiding duplicative tests and unnecessary hospital stays.

Ohio officials plan to design a strategy for the changes over a six-month period, then work to implement it.