CMMI Announces Participants in the Direct Contracting Model

Today, CMS announced the organizations that will be assuming full responsibility for both cost and quality of care for populations of Medicare beneficiaries. These Direct Contracting Entities (DCEs) include some of the leading innovators in care for older adults, some leading health systems, and six organizations that will specialize in the care of high need beneficiaries, most of whom would meet the definition of having serious illness. The high need DCEs are covering populations in: AZ, DC, CA, FL, GA, IN, MI, NC, NV, OH, OR, and VA. Notably, CMMI will not be opening a new round of applications to participate in the model, so these organizations will be the full program, at least for now. You can learn more about the Direct Contracting Model and the High Needs Population aspect here.