CMS has announced the first 16 IAH practices approved to participate in the 3 year demonstration. Here is a link to the CMS press release and the AAHCP press release regarding the announcement. This is great news in that it begins the formal evaluation of your services in bringing primary care services to the frailest, sickest home limited Medicare beneficiaries.  This is a milestone for the hard work of the Academy and most importantly, for the field, for your practices and for your patients.

 

Congratulations to Academy members who were selected out of the 130 that applied!  Additional approved practices, those that applied as consortia will be announced soon.

 

Attend Learning Collaborative - The Academy will begin its year long Learning Collaborative to enhance your opportunity for success under the Demonstration Wednesday, May 2 in Seattle. There is still opportunity to register. Learning Collaborative attendees will participate in a clinical vignette process designed to promote clinical and organizational success and share best practices.

 

Press Release, Ribbon Cutting and Sponsor Thanks Recommended - Here are some recommendations as you announce your approval and get started under IAH. Please contact us for assistance with these activities.

 

• Produce a press release for your community and interested parties.
• Conduct a ribbon cutting event on or around the first day of June and invite your Congressional representatives (House and Senate) and their staff.  Remind them of the importance to beneficiaries and to the Medicare program of having your services available to all home limited beneficiaries across the country.
• Send a letter of thanks to Congressman Ed Markey and Senator Ron Wyden as the lead sponsors of IAH.

 

Hear and Contribute to Academy Efforts to Have Cap Removed - Learning Collaborative attendees will learn of the Academy's strategy including comments by the Academy's Washington Counsel, for having the 10,000 beneficiary cap lifted. And your assistance will be critical in this important effort.  

What to Do if You Applied and Were Not Selected - We share your disappointment in not being selected. However, a major explanation of not being selected and why the field cannot expand fast enough to provide your needed services to home limited Medicare beneficiaries is due to the initial statutory limit of the demonstration to 10,000 beneficiaries.

Here is what to do NOW: 

1) Provide us by E-Mail as soon as possible for your practice; 

(a) Years of experience providing home-based primary care,
(b) Number of IAH eligible beneficiaries in current practice, and
(c) Number of IAH eligible beneficiaries you could treat within the next year in addition to the number in (b).

We will use this critical information in the effort to have the beneficiary cap increased or removed.

2) Contact your Representatives and Senators and let them know that their Medicare constituents are suffering without timely needed care and Medicare funds are not being used effectively because the 10,000 beneficiary cap is preventing needed medical care from being provided and is keeping the resultant savings from being achieved.

Attend Learning Collaborative Even if Not Selected to Obtain Valuable Practice Improvement Benefits - The Learning Collaborative is valuable to attend even if you were not selected under the initial capped demonstration. The Learning Collaborative is designed to enhance your practice performance and success not only for IAH, but as importantly to be of value across your patient populations, existing payors, and for the models and joint ventures emerging across the non-acute continuum of care.

And as noted above, attendees will hear of the Academy strategy for having the 10,000 beneficiary cap lifted and your active participation in this effort is requested. 

Please contact Constance Row or Gary Swartz with any questions or comments.  

  

Advertise with us