Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model | CMS 2F2 21 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for CMS 2F2 21 001

The Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiative designed to change how care is delivered after a 911 call for Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries. It is set up as a voluntary, five-year payment model that aims to give ambulance care teams and 911 systems more practical options than the traditional default of transporting nearly everyone to a hospital emergency department (ED). The central idea is to improve patient-centered care while also lowering Medicare spending by cutting down on avoidable ED visits and preventable inpatient admissions, especially for situations that turn out not to be true emergencies.

ET3 is structured around three related interventions that together form a more flexible response system. Two of the interventions, "treatment in place" and "transport to an alternative destination," are handled through a separate Request for Applications. The third intervention, "triage," is the focus of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Under the NOFO, CMS provides funding to establish or expand a Medical Triage Line connected to existing Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), which are the call centers that receive 911 calls. With a Medical Triage Line in place, PSAPs can redirect callers who have non-emergency conditions away from unnecessary ambulance transport and toward more appropriate care options, such as telehealth, primary care, urgent care, behavioral health resources, or other local services depending on what is available in the community.

The opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning CMS is not only providing funding but is also likely to play an active role in program oversight and collaboration as sites build or scale their triage capabilities. The funding activity area is health, and it is listed under CFDA number 93.381. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $1,175,000 per award, and CMS anticipated making about 40 awards under this opportunity. The grant was originally posted on March 12, 2021, with an original application deadline of May 11, 2021.

Eligibility is broad but tied to control or oversight of the 911 intake function. Eligible applicants include state and local governments and their designees, as well as other entities that operate or oversee a PSAP. The eligibility list also includes special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, other tribal organizations, a range of nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. In practice, the common thread is that applicants must be positioned to implement or influence the PSAP workflow and integrate a Medical Triage Line into real-world 911 operations so that low-acuity callers can be safely routed to the right level of care without automatically using ED and inpatient resources.

Overall, the ET3 triage funding is intended to help communities build the infrastructure and operational capacity to make smarter decisions at the front end of the emergency response system. Instead of treating every 911 call as a one-way path to an ambulance ride and an ED visit, the model supports a more nuanced approach that can match patients to appropriate care, reduce strain on emergency departments, and potentially improve outcomes and patient experience while controlling costs for Medicare.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.381.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 12, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 11, 2021 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,175,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for CMS 2F2 21 001

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: