In the spending plan proposed on Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie included $3 million to assist three growing urban, Medicare accountable care organizations in Camden, Trenton, and Newark. This is the first time public funding (half federal, half state) will be made available to the three state-licensed ACOs, according to an NJSpotlight report.
Thus far, the three programs have been dependent on philanthropic aid and the support of their hospital and healthcare center partners.
While public funding for these three ACOs has been missing, support from within the community has been present. The Trenton program alone is fueled in large part by 50 local partners and is responsible for almost 38,000 Medicaid beneficiaries.
Though $3 million is a drop in the bucket when considering New Jersey's $34.8 billion proposed budget, some believe that that little money can stretch far and help the ACOs expand capacity of data analysis, add staff and help their partner's with program costs.
"The budget funding is so important... Three million is a very small investment, but given the partnerships we've built over the past decade and given their willingness to do the work, that money will go a long way toward improving the health of our community," Gregory Paulson, executive director of the Trenton Health Team, which runs the regional ACO, told NJSpotlight.
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