11/13/2025

Ohio’s Quality Incentive Program Earns National Recognition

LeadingAge Ohio’s efforts to improve care quality and strengthen provider reimbursement are drawing national attention. President and CEO Susan Wallace was featured in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News for her leadership in advancing the state’s Medicaid Quality Incentive Program (QIP)—an initiative that has grown to represent up to 13 percent of reimbursement statewide.

Behind the program’s success is a dedicated, member-driven effort led by Stephanie DeWees and the Squared Business Solutions (SBS) team, whose data-informed guidance and collaborative approach have helped members achieve measurable, lasting results. When many providers were left without incentive payments, LeadingAge Ohio developed the Reimbursement Collaborative, formerly known as the QIP Collaborative, to bring together teams across the state to interpret data, plan improvements, and strengthen care quality while maximizing reimbursement. Each six-month collaborative cycle includes monthly meetings, customized tools, and one-on-one consultation so any team member can participate and translate insights into real-world operational change.

Since its inception, participants have earned more than $18.2 million in incentive payments and improved their quality scores by as much as 140 percent. “Every six months, we find new ways to help members put value back into their communities,” Wallace said.

Ohio’s measurable outcomes are now a national model for linking quality to reimbursement. The next round of the Reimbursement Collaborative begins in January 2026. Members are encouraged to watch the LeadingAge Ohio Learning Center for registration updates and program announcements.