Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation

NourishedRx Introduces Its Food Benefits Management Platform

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 9, 2023
Cloud, Medicare Advantage, API, Food, Google Cloud, Medicaid, Heart, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hunger, Mother, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Laika (EHR testing framework), Health, BIPOC, Google Cloud Platform, Medicare, Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, Patient, Diabetes, FHIR, Conditional sentence, Health insurance

Studies have shown that decreasing food insecurity and boosting access and consumption of nutritious food leads to 70 percent fewer hospital admissions, 52 percent fewer hospital readmissions, and a 40 percent decrease in healthcare expenditures. NourishedRx unlocks the untapped potential of nutrition by integrating culturally relevant, clinically-tailored meals and diet education into the health care payment and delivery system, thereby improving the health of patients and lowering health plan spending at scale. NourishedRx's platform matches at-risk members with food solutions supervised by registered dietitians -- whether they are meal kits, groceries, or prepared foods.

Key Points: 
  • In addition, by using Google Cloud’s Healthcare API to power its food benefits management platform, NourishedRx is ahead of the curve with respect to the latest interoperability standards set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
  • With its Google-powered food benefits management platform, NourishedRx is building off of its established success and gearing up to support more members, across more states, and across more clinical conditions with straightforward plug-and-play data sharing and workflow integration.
  • “Because of the FHIR interoperability embedded into our food benefits management platform, health plan and health system partners can easily send referrals to NourishedRx from their care management systems and EHRs at scale,” said Hari Kolasani, chief technology officer of NourishedRx.
  • NourishedRx is the only Food Benefits Platform that both supports members in the optimal use of their existing health plan food and nutrition benefits and provides access to local, culturally-specific, community-based food purveyors ranging from Halal grocers to Vietnamese kitchens.

S&P Global Ratings Affirms Prime Healthcare Credit Rating with a Stable Outlook

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 9, 2023
General Health, Hospitals, Health, Hospital, MPT, EBITDA, Patient safety, Joint Commission, Medicaid, Prime Healthcare Services, Medical Properties Trust, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Watson (computer), IBM Watson Health, Patient safety organization, Medicare, S&P Global Ratings, Health care, Health, Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award, National Quality Forum, S&P, Physician, Health insurance, Healthgrades

S&P Global Ratings, in a 2022 year-end Research Update, affirmed Prime Healthcare Services's B- issuer credit rating and the B- issue-level rating on senior secured notes and issued a stable outlook.

Key Points: 
  • S&P Global Ratings, in a 2022 year-end Research Update, affirmed Prime Healthcare Services's B- issuer credit rating and the B- issue-level rating on senior secured notes and issued a stable outlook.
  • The stable outlook reflects S&P's expectations that Prime will experience an improvement of labor costs, a stabilization of patient volume trends, and continued support from state subsidy programs.
  • "Throughout the industry, increased labor costs have led to a reliance on premium labor during an unprecedented labor crisis in healthcare," said Steve Aleman, Prime Healthcare's Chief Financial Officer.
  • Prime Healthcare and Prime Healthcare Foundation comprise 45 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states.

VillageMD Participation in Innovative Medicare Model Contributes to Federal Savings and Quality Care

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
Health, Consumer, Practice Management, Seniors, Other Health, Managed Care, General Health, Calendar, DCE, CMMI, DCE Distributed File System, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Community health, Federation, ACO, Patient, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, APG, Health, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, CMS, Health equity, Medicare, Medicaid, REACH, Health insurance, Access

VillageMD generated shared savings for the Medicare program while providing high quality primary care to patients through its participation in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) Model in calendar year 2021.

Key Points: 
  • VillageMD generated shared savings for the Medicare program while providing high quality primary care to patients through its participation in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) Model in calendar year 2021.
  • All VillageMD DCEs met gross savings and notably, the Village Medical Houston Accountable Care Organization (ACO) had the highest gross savings rate of all standard DCEs at 9.61% and net savings rate of 7.45%.
  • VillageMD’s DCEs produced total gross savings of nearly $24 million and total net savings of more than $12 million for the Medicare program.
  • Its innovative value-based care model is focused on preventative care and dedicating resources where they have historically made the most difference for patients.

ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION STATEMENT: ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION WELCOMES U.S. FDA APPROVAL OF LECANEMAB

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 6, 2023
Alzheimer's Association, Dementia, Amyloid, Doctor of Public Health, National coverage determination, Plasma protein binding, Ageing, Legislation, Health, NCD, Food, Drug discovery, Research, Network, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Brain, Helpline, Multimedia, Disease, Communes of Burundi, Science, Patient, Family, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Letter, Treatment, Insurance, FDA, Antibody, Food and Drug Administration, Congress, MCI, Diagnosis, CMS, Medicare, Health insurance, Pharmaceutical industry, Medical imaging, Alzheimer's disease

CHICAGO, Jan. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Association enthusiastically welcomes today's U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action to grant the accelerated approval of Leqembi™ (lecanemab) (Eisai/Biogen) for the treatment of patients in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia stage of Alzheimer's disease and with confirmation of amyloid beta. While this is a milestone achievement for people eligible for the treatment, their families and the research community, without Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and insurance coverage of this treatment and others in its class, access for those who could benefit from the newly-approved treatment will only be available to those who can pay out-of-pocket.

Key Points: 
  • "What the FDA did today in granting accelerated approval to Leqembi was the right decision.
  • "The FDA carefully reviewed the evidence for Leqembi before granting approval.
  • CMS has never done this before for any drug, and it is clearly harmful and unfair to those with Alzheimer's.
  • Leqembi was approved through the FDA's accelerated approval pathway, which grants earlier approval to drugs that treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need.

Force Therapeutics Now Available in AWS Marketplace

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 3, 2023
Health care, CMS, Patient, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, CPT, Friction, Medicare, Face, MSK, AWS, RTM, Therapy, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Investment, Documentation, Health insurance, Force

NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Force Therapeutics, a leading full-suite digital care management platform, announced today its availability in AWS Marketplace, a curated digital catalog that makes it easy for customers to find, buy, consume, and manage third-party software, services, and data that customers need to build solutions and run their businesses.

Key Points: 
  • Through AWS Marketplace, health systems, physician practices, and ambulatory surgical centers will now be able to enjoy the simplified procurement that AWS Marketplace offers.
  • In addition, current AWS customers can maximize existing investments on AWS and existing enterprise discounts when paying for the Force platform.
  • "Making Force's platform available in AWS Marketplace means less friction and easier implementation for our clients, allowing them to scale faster and more efficiently through this proven, highly trusted cloud provider."
  • Founded in 2010, Force Therapeutics is a leading patient engagement platform designed to help clinicians intelligently extend their reach.

Quest Analytics Achieves HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year Certification for Quest Enterprise Services (QES) to Manage Risk, Improve Security Posture and Meet Compliance Requirements

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Organization, CMS, Risk, Privacy, Medicare, Certification, Multimedia, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QES, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, HITRUST, Audit

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Dec. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Analytics, the leader in provider network management solutions and services, today announced that Quest Enterprise Services (QES) has earned Certified status for information security by HITRUST.

Key Points: 
  • HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year (r2) Certified status demonstrates that the organization's Quest Enterprise Services (QES) has met key regulations and industry-defined requirements and is appropriately managing risk.
  • This achievement places Quest Analytics in an elite group of organizations worldwide that have earned this certification.
  • "Quest Analytics is committed to maintaining the highest standards for data protection and information security for our clients," said Steve Levin, CEO, Quest Analytics.
  • "Our HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year Certification for Quest Enterprise Services is evidence of this commitment as we work to meet and exceed the complex compliance and privacy requirements."

CareCloud’s medSR Division Chosen by Russell Medical Center to Implement New Electronic Health Record Platform

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 5, 2022
CareCloud, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, PXM, Physician, Magic, Health, Practice management, Culture, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Medicare, RCM, EHR, Meditech, Health information management, Patient, MTBC, Medicine

SOMERSET, N.J., Dec. 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CareCloud, Inc. (Nasdaq: MTBC, MTBCO, MTBCP), a leader in healthcare technology solutions for medical practices and health systems nationwide, today announced that Russell Medical Center has employed the skill of CareCloud’s medSR division to select and implement Meditech as a Service electronic health record (EHR) solution for its East Central Alabama hospital.

Key Points: 
  • Russell Medical Center, accredited in 1959, is one of three Alabama hospitals that received a five-star rating by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
  • medSR worked with Russell Medical Center to identify and prioritize the needs of the hospital, while also evaluating ease-of-use for each platform and cost of implementation.
  • Based on the credibility and trust that medSR had cultivated with Russell Medical Center throughout the selection process, the medSR team was also chosen to help implement the new EHR platform.
  • “Implementing a new EHR solution can be a daunting task for any healthcare organization,” said Matt Fisher, chief financial officer at Russell Medical.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Makes Preliminary Recommendation to Establish New HCPCS Billing Code Dedicated to Arch Therapeutics’ AC5® Advanced Wound System

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 5, 2022
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Wound healing, Level 2, Hemostasis, Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, Mouth ulcer, Food, FDA, News, Biotechnology, Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Risk, Drug Quality and Security Act, Medicare, Patient, HCPCS, OTCQB, AC5, Trauma, Therapy, Skin, Arch, Pharmaceutical industry

The preliminary recommendation was discussed at CMS’ First Biannual 2022 HCPCS Public Meeting, which was held on November 30, 2022.

Key Points: 
  • The preliminary recommendation was discussed at CMS’ First Biannual 2022 HCPCS Public Meeting, which was held on November 30, 2022.
  • The HCPCS code would better enable providers to bill third party payors for AC5 that is used in doctors’ offices.
  • AC5 is a synthetic self-assembling wound care product that provides clinicians with multi-modal support and utility across all phases of wound healing.
  • Arch has received regulatory clearance to market AC5® Advanced Wound System in the United States and AC5® Topical Hemostat in Europe.

EvoEndo Announces Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Reassignments for Flexible Transnasal Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 15, 2022
General Health, Health, Medical Devices, Gastroesophageal reflux disease, Pediatric gastroenterology, Nutrition, CMS, Degenerative disease, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Italian ship Leonardo (A 5301), VR, Learning, Patient, Biopsy, OPPS, APC, Endoscopy, Eosinophilic esophagitis, EOE, FDA, Malabsorption, EGD, CPT, Virtual reality, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Italian ship Ammiraglio Magnaghi (A 5303), Abdominal pain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Dysphagia, Physician, TNE, Medicare

We look forward to sharing this new payment alignment with healthcare providers as they consider the clinical and financial value of unsedated transnasal endoscopy, said Heather Underwood, Chief Executive Officer at EvoEndo.

Key Points: 
  • We look forward to sharing this new payment alignment with healthcare providers as they consider the clinical and financial value of unsedated transnasal endoscopy, said Heather Underwood, Chief Executive Officer at EvoEndo.
  • Unsedated transnasal endoscopy with the EvoEndo Single-Use Endoscopy System is designed to reduce preparation and recovery time for upper endoscopy procedures and to eliminate potential risks associated with sedation.
  • The EvoEndo System includes a sterile, single-use, flexible gastroscope designed for unsedated transnasal upper endoscopy, and a small portable video controller.
  • The EvoEndo Comfort Kit includes virtual reality (VR) goggles for patient distraction during the unsedated transnasal endoscopy procedure.

Signify Health and Ardent Health Services Collaborate to Improve Healthcare Outcomes

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Software, Data Analytics, General Health, Health, Health Technology, Professional Services, Technology, Other Health, Trust, CMS, Physician, EGI, Correct Care Solutions, ACO, Partnership, VTR, Patient, Health care, Hospital, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, NYSE, Ardent, Health, Modern Healthcare, Ardent Health Services, Medicaid, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Sam Zell, Acquisition, Medicare, Risk, Health insurance, Medicine

Signify Health, Inc. (NYSE: SGFY), a leading healthcare platform that leverages advanced analytics, technology and nationwide healthcare networks to create and power value-based payment programs, today announced an expansion of its relationship with Ardent Health Services , a premier provider of healthcare services with more than 200 sites of care across six states.

Key Points: 
  • Signify Health, Inc. (NYSE: SGFY), a leading healthcare platform that leverages advanced analytics, technology and nationwide healthcare networks to create and power value-based payment programs, today announced an expansion of its relationship with Ardent Health Services , a premier provider of healthcare services with more than 200 sites of care across six states.
  • Earlier this year, Signify Health acquired Caravan Health , a leader in enabling sustainable ACO and population health programs.
  • We are thrilled to work with Ardent Health Services to deliver the infrastructure needed to support their success with accountable care.
  • Signify Health is a leading healthcare platform that leverages advanced analytics, technology, and nationwide healthcare provider networks to create and power value-based payment programs.