Future Medicare Models Expected to Take Lessons from Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM)
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released a new white paper last week which compares 21 Medicare payment models or demonstrations tested by CMMI, noting that the MCCM model – which tested concurrent palliative care and curative care – had simultaneously improved quality of care while lowering average Medicare expenditures. In comparison, most of the other models tested failed to achieve results across both cost and quality metrics. As a result, the white paper states that “aspects of MCCM are being used in the development of new CMS Innovation Center models related to palliative care.” In fact, this is already happening, with a number of the new ACO Reach participants electing to enhance beneficiary benefits with access to hospice care without ceasing curative treatment, although the parameters are still being determined.