The Nicholson Foundation recognized early on that if New Jersey wanted to improve health care in its underserved communities, it must change the way health care is provided and paid for. Unfortunately, with budget shortfalls and other pressures, there was no state funding for a new visionary model called the Medicaid Accountable Care Organization (ACO). The Nicholson Foundation stepped up to fund both nascent community coalitions that wanted to create Medicaid ACOs and the Quality Institute to serve as a convener and learning network for the coalitions.
Because of The Nicholson Foundation’s support and commitment to the vision of the Medicaid ACO and the Quality Institute’s ability to foster and support these coalitions, this summer seven communities applied to become Medicaid ACOs. The level of interest from as far north as Paterson and far south as Cumberland is a testament to the energy and passion behind the Medicaid ACO model. Given recent Medicare ACO results, the path will be difficult and lengthy but it is a journey that must start somewhere and start now. In New Jersey we have The Nicholson Foundation to thank for starting us down the path. Now the hard work begins.
