The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Releases Its New Strategy
New leadership at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) have been evaluating the lessons learned from CMMI’s first ten years, and have now released the “Innovation Center Strategy Refresh.” The new strategy includes five objectives: drive accountable care; advance health equity; support care innovations; improve access by addressing affordability; and partnering to achieve system transformation.
The new strategy includes an acknowledgement that palliative care must be tested across models, anticipates greater use of waivers and flexibilities, and suggests greater reliance on patient-reported outcomes. Models that meet these current objectives and provide opportunities for palliative care teams include relationships with Primary Care First, Global/Professional Direct Contracting, and the Kidney Care Choices model participants. Note that there is still no information on the previously-planned Seriously Ill Population model.