New York officials say $7.3 billion is going to 25 networks of health care providers statewide to help overhaul the delivery of care and cut unneeded hospital visits.

Meanwhile, state health officials say average spending for the state’s Medicaid patients has declined to $8,233 annually while enrollments rose by 500,000 to nearly one-third of the state’s 19 million people.

Hospitals, physician groups and other providers are getting so-called Medicaid waivers to apply projected federal savings over five years to establish more outpatient clinics, reduce hospital beds, use electronic records and enable low-income patients to see doctors and psychologists in the same visit.

Funding ranges from $1.2 billion for the network which includes New York City Health and Hospitals Corp. to $187 million for the group that includes Adirondack Health Institute Inc.

(AP)