This report covers the process and implementation activities of the State Innovation Model (SIM) test grant in Iowa during the last quarter of the first implementation year (November-December 2016 and January 2017), the three-month no-cost extension period (February – April 2017) and into the first two quarters of the second implementation year (May – October 2017). The objective of the process and implementation evaluation is to describe the structure of the interventions and actions being utilized in the SIM initiative, along with identifying advances and challenges encountered during implementation.
A variety of methods were used to gather the information provided in this report. The University of Iowa Public Policy Center (PPC) team reviewed documents and collected information from pertinent websites, participated in bi-weekly phone conferences with the state SIM team and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), participated in monthly phone conferences with the state SIM team and the national evaluators, conducted stakeholder interviews to understand how the SIM initiative was being implemented during this time period, and surveyed Iowans across the state to provide a population profile.
The end of SIM award year 2 and into the beginning of award year 3 was a period of change, planning to implement the changes, and progress toward goals. As in the previous year, a significant amount of time was spent working to facilitate collaborations with the multitudes of stakeholders integral to the successful implementation of the SIM activities.