CMS Initiates New Program to Support Care Coordination Among ACOs

Many of you are aware of the recently published Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Affordable Care Act (ACA) initiative to support care coordination nationwide.

CMS announced the availability of a new initiative for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The initiative is designed to encourage ACOs to realize quality improvement and care coordination through the use of health information technology; thereby helping to move the health care system to one that values quality over quantity, and preventative care over treating people after they get sick. The new ACO Investment Model is designed to bring these efforts of better coordinated care to rural and underserved areas by providing up to $114 million in upfront investments to up to 75 ACOs across the country.

"The ACO Investment Model will give Medicare Accountable Care Organizations more flexibility in setting quality and financial goals, while giving them greater accountability for delivering quality care efficiently," said CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. "We are working with these organizations to make necessary investments that encourage doctors, hospitals and other health care providers to work together to better coordinate care and keep people healthy."

Through the CMS Innovation Center, this initiative will provide up front investments in infrastructure and redesigned care process to help eligible ACOs continue to provide higher quality care. This will help increase the number of beneficiaries — regardless of geographic location — that can benefit from lower costs and improved health care through Medicare ACOs. CMS will recover these payments through an offset of an ACO's earned shared savings.   Eligibility is targeted to ACOs who joined the Shared Savings Program in 2012, 2013, 2014, and to new ACOs joining the Shared Savings Program in 2016. The application deadline for organizations that started in the Shared Savings Program in 2012 or 2013 will be December 1, 2014. Applications will be available in the Summer of 2015 for ACOs that started in the Shared Savings Program in 2014 or will start in 2016.

Gorman Health Group has assisted numerous organizations for the past three years in achieving Pioneer and Shared Savings ACO status. Additionally, GHG has assisted operating ACO's in analyzing operating and medical spend performance. If you, as an ACO, are wondering why shared savings expectations are not being realized, or how to improve on your internal analytical and decision support competencies -- we can meet your needs.  Contact us today.

 

 

Resources

On Friday, September 26, John Gorman, GHG's Founder and Executive Chairman together with colleague, John Nimsky, Senior Vice President of Healthcare Innovations, discussed the vehicles for achieving what could be characterized as a reengineering of the health care delivery process and its effectiveness. Join the Point today to access this webinar recording.

Don't let the application process get in the way of your day-to-day operations.  Contact us today to ensure a smooth, compliant process.

From ACO-type incentives to bundled payments and contract capitation, to full professional and global capitation - we can help design and implement these arrangements. Find out how GHG can help >>

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>


12 Years in the Making - Rules Guiding Medicaid Managed Care are Getting a Makeover

At the Medicaid Health Plans of America (MHPA) meeting last week in Washington, DC, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the upcoming release of an updated Medicaid Managed Care regulation. Per CMS officials speaking at the conference, the last update was 12 years ago!

Discussions surrounding the update were focused on three main themes:

  1. Aligning Medicaid Managed Care with other public programs
  2. Payment and accountability
  3. Network adequacy

Aligning with other programs — This could take many different shapes and sizes. Certainly the well-established program guidelines of Medicare Advantage could become very prominent. In contrast, the newly evolving rules of the Exchange Marketplace could be drawn more into the spotlight. Being that Medicaid beneficiaries sometimes align with Medicare Advantage and sometimes with Exchanges, this is likely to draw a lot of comments from the industry when released in the coming months.

Regardless of how you think it should be done, the rationale to better align all of these programs makes good sense for both beneficiaries and the managed care plans that serve them. Beneficiaries can have common experiences; families with multiple program enrollments have an easier time navigating the system; and plans reduce unnecessary administrative burden to administer multiple programs.

Payment and accountability — Several hot button items are involved in this theme. All of these involve modernizing the regulation to the current day environment.

  • Using data to think about issues related to rate setting and rate review
  • Using program dollars wisely, as more is at stake as the program continues to evolve and grow
  • Integration of long-term services and supports into the regulation

Network adequacy — The OIG recently released a report identifying significant variation between states as it relates to access to care, and how those standards are being checked on a regular basis. With the recent significant growth in Medicaid Managed Care enrollment, this becomes even more concerning. We can expect CMS to take a strong stance on access to care issues including network composition, availability of primary care and specialists, and provider directory issues. As a major beneficiary protection issue, we also expect this area to draw a lot of comments from the beneficiary community.

We are very anxious to see the draft regulation and the "give and take" it is going to provide to the industry. With 12 years worth of ideas baked into it, it should be a fun ride!

 

Resouces

Gorman Health Group, LLC (GHG), the leading consulting firm and solutions provider in government health care programs, announced its further expansion into Medicaid, and the promotion of one of the nation's leading Medicaid experts, Heidi Arndt, to lead the division. Read more >>

Gorman Health Group is dedicated to assisting managed care organizations, as well as states with developing models of care, maximize member engagement. Visit our website to learn more about how we can help you with your Medicaid initiatives.

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>

 


Little Reason for Optimism in Red State Medicaid Expansion

For months several Wall Street analysts and others have predicted near-total adoption of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion by the states.  To date, only 27 have, and I see little optimism for more than a handful to do so anytime soon.

Red State governors are WAY more entrenched than anyone anticipated, and they're getting too much political mileage out of throwing a middle finger at the guy in the White House to stop. Even if Democratic candidates leading in states like Florida win next week, the barrier is often their state legislatures.  Virginia is a great example of a pro-expansion Democrat thwarted by his state lawmakers -- one that will be repeated many times in 2015.

Last week we heard mixed news on Medicaid expansion: it appeared likely that Utah governor Mike Herbert would accept an Arkansas-style expansion in a rare compromise with the Obama Administration, and also pretty certain that Indiana governor and 2016 GOP Presidential possible Mike Pence would reject one.  Even if Herbert takes the deal, Utah may be another example like Virginia, with a supportive governor blocked from expanding by his state house.

At least six states could adopt Medicaid expansion, including Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Wisconsin and Alaska, if -- and it's a huge if given the political headwinds -- Democrats and one independent candidate win their gubernatorial races. The obstacle is getting state lawmakers on board in Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin and Kansas, where Republicans control the legislature.

So maybe it's really just Maine and Alaska that have any real shot at expansion? Maine lawmakers are poised to expand Medicaid if Tea Party wingnut Governor Paul LePage is defeated next week. LePage has vetoed several bills to expand the program after they were passed by the Democrat-controlled Maine legislature, and he is trailing in the latest polls. Alaska isn't nearly as far along.

A handful of new Republican governors could move for expansion, albeit after the midterm elections. Tennessee GOP Governor Bill Haslam said he plans to submit a plan later this year, although state Republican leaders warn it will be difficult to win approval. Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, also a Republican, said he will present an expansion plan to his legislature early next year, but prospects also seem slim there.

In many of the remaining Red States, where uninsurance is most epidemic and the ACA is needed most, there seems to be little hope of elected officials actually doing their jobs and meeting the needs of their constituents:

  • In Mississippi, expansion doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell.  GOP Governor Gary Bryant made it clear Mississippi would not participate, leaving 138,000 residents, the majority of whom are black, with no insurance options at all after infighting killed the state's embryonic health insurance exchange.
  • In South Carolina, where expanding Medicaid could reduce the number of people without health insurance by one-third, the state's health plan association doesn't expect any movement until at least 2017.  Even its state medical association won't back expansion, apparently preferring bad debt and fewer customers to Medicaid payment.
  • In Louisiana, payers aren't hostile to expansion, they just don't see any point in pushing it. The state health plan association chief said "it's a state where both the House and the Senate, and the governor, are pretty much on the same page of not being interested in moving toward expansion this year or next year."
  • In Alabama, even the state's health plan association is openly opposed to expansion. "I agree, and I think my members agree, that [Governor Robert] Bentley is doing the right thing" by saying no, the association CEO said. In its current form, "expanding Medicaid makes zero sense for Alabama."
  • In Texas, which has more uninsured people than Colorado has people? Um, no.

With Republicans poised to retake the US Senate next week and expand their dominance in the House, all this hopeful chatter about Medicaid expansion seems more like liberal dreaming than reality. Maybe 2-3 more states in the next two years, if we're lucky.

 

Resources

Gorman Health Group, LLC (GHG), the leading consulting firm and solutions provider in government health care programs, announced its further expansion into Medicaid, and the promotion of one of the nation's leading Medicaid experts, Heidi Arndt, to lead the division. Read more >>

GHG is dedicated to assisting managed care organizations, as well as states with developing models of care, maximize member engagement. Visit our website to learn more >>

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>


The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in Medicare Advantage

In the last two weeks there's been good, bad and ugly news for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.  On one hand, the program has never been stronger and quality metrics are surging in the right direction; on the other, the industry is sucking it up on following the rules of its biggest customer, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

First, the good: CMS did its annual data dump on Medicare Advantage and Part D bids and showed the program continuing its robust growth, with higher-than-ever enrollment approaching 17 million, and plans holding premiums and benefits steady during the worst rate environment in decades.  Then, CMS released the MA Star Ratings database for 2015, showing MA quality continues to improve.  The enrollment-weighted Average Star Rating for the industry stands at 3.91 out of 5.  40% of MA contracts were awarded 4+ Stars for 2015, but 60% of enrollees are members of those plans, showing a 30% increase since 2012 and demonstrating the competitive advantage high-performing plans now enjoy.  The 2015 ratings show stable or improved performance in almost 70% of the 46 Part C & D Star measures, 7 of which improved by more than one-half star from 2014 to 2015, and 13 of which earned average ratings above 4 stars in 2015.  There was even an 85% decline in plans receiving the low-quality performance badge of shame.

But then the bad: it's clear plans have eaten low-hanging Star fruit and are starting to struggle on more complex and outcomes measures, such as managing chronic conditions, managing mental health to improve outcomes, or increasing physical activity and reducing fall risk.  The longitudinal Health of Seniors survey scores are below 3 Stars, and 135 plans remain on the Quality Bonus Payment bubble at 3.5 stars in 2015, meaning almost half of MA plans are circling the financial toilet bowl.  Not good.

And then the ugly: last week's blistering New York Times story on rampant noncompliance among MA plans. The Times combed through months of compliance action reports and found widespread failures by plans in administering the program, including some common and potentially life-threatening stumbles:

  • In more than half of all audits, "beneficiaries and providers did not receive an adequate or accurate rationale for the denial" of coverage when insurers refused to provide or pay for care.
  • When making decisions, insurers often failed to consider clinical information provided by doctors and failed to inform patients of their appeal rights.
  • In 61% of audits, insurers "inappropriately rejected claims" for prescription drugs. Insurers enforced "unapproved quantity limits" and required patients to get permission before filling prescriptions when such "prior authorization" was not allowed.
  • MA plans frequently missed deadlines for making decisions about coverage of medical care, drugs and devices requested by doctors and patients.

CMS officials expressed frustration that they were seeing the same deficiencies year after year.  That these boneheaded infractions are often being repeated makes the news all the more depressing. It's important to remember if an MA plan with a Star Rating over 3.5 gets sanctioned by CMS for noncompliance, it automatically knocks its rating down to 2.5.  That's a kiss of death for an otherwise quality company.

What the Stars and compliance data show us is that the plans are doing great on strategy, pricing their benefit designs, selling to Baby Boomers, and managing straightforward quality process measures.  But looking closer, it also shows our industry has a serious execution problem.  We are lagging on performance measures with multiple clinical moving parts, and embarrassing ourselves and endangering our companies and beneficiaries with "101-level" compliance errors.

With both Federal and state governments increasingly relying on MA plans to manage the most complex and expensive patients in the US health system, we can and must do better.

 

Resources

Listen as John Gorman provides several takeaways from our first review of the terabytes of CMS data and understand why he believes this data shows the triumph of government-sponsored programs. Access the podcast here >>

Gorman Health Group can evaluate your Star Ratings approach and identify tactics you can begin implementing immediately to integrate initiatives, eliminate redundancies, and build an enterprise-wide Star management structure. Visit our website to learn more >>

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>


NY Times article reiterates compliance trends in Medicare Advantage

As many of you have already read, the NY Times ran a scathing article on October 12th titled "U.S. Finds Many Errors in Medicare Health Plans" shining a light on serious Compliance issues we've all been aware of over the past several years. Is the continued lack of non-compliance really news to anyone in the industry? Most certainly not — we have all been tracking the continued issues of non-compliance, increased CMS Compliance actions, and have read the audit reports posted on the CMS website. What the NY Times article did was remind us that the compliance trends in Medicare Advantage are a serious matter which should not be taken lightly.

The fact is, Medicare beneficiaries have not had access to their care; both Medical care and Prescription drugs.This is simply not acceptable — period. That being said, I have personally worked on the Plan side, on the consulting side, and as a CMS sub-contractor, and I know, firsthand,  the challenges we face in the implementation of the thousands of Compliance requirements. This is no easy task, and anyone who thinks it is, simply doesn't understand plan operations. By and large, what we find is that Organizations want to be compliant; but they don't have the tools or resources to implement and manage this highly regulated program. So, what do you do next? Here is what we recommend:

  • If you haven't done so already, go through the exercise of a Mock CMS audit - find your deficiencies now, both for the sake of the beneficiary, and for the sake of your CMS contract.
  • Focus first on those issues that have the most beneficiary impact — ensure that your members have access to care as your number one priority.
  • Document your remediation efforts and measure outcomes — issues aren't resolved overnight, but ensuring that your remediation plan is working is the key to success.

If you're not sure where to start, we can help. Please find here a description of our Mock CMS Audit Service, or contact us directly.

Resources

On Friday, Sept, 12 a GHG team member provided GHG's perspective on trends relating to CMPs, the CMS audit findings and oversight activities that have taken place in the last six to 12 months, as well as tips on how to avoid and remediate CMS findings. Become a member of the Point to access the webinar recording >>

All Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans must ensure that they are audit-ready all the time so that each CMS audit is routine.  Save the fire drills for fires, and receive standing ovations for the organization's final performance. Visit our website to learn more >>

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>


Exchange 2014 Data Submission Due April 30,2015

As we wind down on our inaugural year with Health Insurance Exchanges (HIX), we have seen plans using a variety of approaches in their Risk Adjustment data reporting efforts. Some continue to use the same approaches used for their Medicare programs (chart reviews, provider outreach, in-home assessments, etc). Some have not even begun any retrospective, prospective or quality programs because they don't know where to begin. What is the right approach? Probably somewhere in the middle.

Qualified Health Plans need to be very targeted in their retrospective and prospective programs. They also need to have some type of quality assurance program in place. Although HHS has stated that "For 2014 and 2015, an initial and second validation audit will be conducted, but the findings will not be used to adjust payments." Plans still need to be cognizant of the quality of the data they are submitting and are still subject to the False Claims Act. CMS has also stated that when medical record reviews are performed, "the issuer must evaluate all diagnoses on the original claim and the issuer must delete any diagnoses not supported by the medical record." This is a new practice for many plans, but one that must be implemented.

Whether you rely on multiple vendors, an internal team, or a combination of the two, GHG can help you streamline the execution of your risk adjustment approach, and build a roadmap to ensure you're keeping stride with HHS expectations in both compliance and health care outcomes. Our services include:

  • Risk Adjustment Strategies — Retrospective, Prospective and Concurrent Outreach strategies, evaluation of staffing structure and levels
  • Quality Assurance Programs — Proactive programs to improve data accuracy
  • Data Analytics — Identifying data gaps and appropriate gap closures
  • End to End Process Review — Testing for dropped data and recommendations for best practices in data processing
  • Provider Education/Coding - including ICD 10
  • Risk Mitigation - Identifying unsubstantiated diagnosis codes
  • Data Validation — Mock Audits
  • Vendor Audits — Coding accuracy, data completeness
  • Requests for Proposals (RFP) - Developing RFPs and/or the evaluation of RFP vendor responses


Resources

In a webinar on Thursday, October 23, Janet Fina, GHG's Vice President of Risk Adjustment, together with colleague, Carol Olson, GHG's Director of Risk Adjustment, addressed areas for documentation improvement that will allow for accurate reimbursement and disease and case management opportunities. Become a member of the Point to access the recording >>

Gorman Health Group supports our clients in evaluating the efficiency, compliance, and strategic value of their risk adjustment programs from start to finish, and helps ensure that the procedures for capturing, processing and submitting risk adjustment data to CMS are accurate, timely, and complete. Visit our website to learn more >>

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>


Noteworthy declines in Star Measures: Ensure a 4-Star Performance

With 5% of revenue contingent on achieving at least 4 Stars, the stakes have never been higher for Medicare Advantage plans. Within the 40% of plans earning at least 4 Stars in 2015, plan leaders are celebrating their return on investment from quality improvement initiatives and other Stars-impactful activities. But for the 135 plans on the Stars bubble at 3.5 Stars, and the 102 plans earning 3 or fewer Stars in 2015, the race is on.

Although performance continued to improve on most screening measures and on measures within the plans' control in 2015, ratings declined on 15 of the 46 Star measures in 2015. The most noteworthy declines occurred on the following measures, all of which require significant coordination across provider , and pharmacy networks, plan personnel and members:

  • Three of five diabetes care management measures (with two measures dropping by more than one-quarter star each, and declines on both of the triple-weighted Part C intermediate outcomes measures associated with diabetes),
  • All three triple-weighted medication adherence measures and the high risk medication measure,
  • Care coordination and customer service measures.

In addition, four additional measures, which are heavily dependent on effective care coordination as well as member education, continue to perform under 3 Stars:

  • Improving or maintaining mental health,
  • Special needs plan care management,
  • Improving bladder control,
  • Osteoporosis management in women who have had a fracture.

Since enrollment in high performing plans continues to grow, and dramatic improvements have occurred in low-performing plans, CMS is likely to continue driving quality and accountability of physicians, hospitals, and other providers through the ever-evolving Medicare Advantage Star Ratings program.

As plans race into the unavoidable 4th quarter ‘Stars crunch,' now is an ideal time to ensure that adequate workplans, budgets and resources are available to enable 4 Star performance. If your plan is striving to achieve 4 Stars, Gorman Health Group is ready to help! From evaluating organizational strategy to developing and optimizing tactical Star ratings workplans, our team of experts has a long history of success helping health plans achieve Star ratings success.

 

Resources

Gorman Health Group can evaluate your Star Ratings approach and identify tactics you can begin implementing immediately to integrate initiatives, eliminate redundancies, and build an enterprise-wide Star management structure. We can help you identify clinical, operational, and networking opportunities to increase your score for 2016 and beyond. Visit our website to learn more >>

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>


Reversing the Trend: Improving Care Coordination

The good news from the 2015 Star Ratings is clear: Medicare Advantage plans held steady or improved in almost 70% of the 46 Part C & D Star measures. But the more subtle message hidden underneath the 15 measures where performance declined in 2015 is similarly clear: health plans have not yet mastered population management and care coordination in a way that improves health outcomes. By linking the Quality Bonus Payments to 4 Star performance, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is conveying their message: health plans must effectively coordinate the diagnosis to the healthcare activities for their members in order to drive improved health outcomes and satisfy members.

Gorman Health Group is often asked how plans can achieve Star Ratings success. As 2015 draws to a close, the following are a few key near-term suggestions on which to focus in order to achieve Star Ratings success in 2016:

  • Create (or review) 2016 Stars work plan(s), evaluate customer service and medical/case management work streams, and processes to identify areas for improved care coordination.
  • Evaluate provider and pharmacy network strategy to ensure that infrastructure supports Stars goals.
  • Evaluate Stars performance among provider and pharmacy networks and develop targeted activities with under-performers.

Our team of experts can help you develop or enhance care coordination within your programs and processes. Contact us today, and let's work together to help your plan achieve 4 Stars.

 

Resources

Gorman Health Group can evaluate your Star Ratings approach and identify tactics you can begin implementing immediately to integrate initiatives, eliminate redundancies, and build an enterprise-wide Star management structure. We can help you identify clinical, operational, and networking opportunities to increase your score for 2016 and beyond. Visit our website to learn more >>

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>

 


They Still Don't Like It

In the October 8, 2014 memo entitled "Contract Year 2014 Part D Formulary Administration Analysis (FAA)", CMS reiterates their concern with the accuracy of formulary coding. For the April 2013 analysis, 9 out of 88 (10.2 %) plan sponsors were found to have failed FAA, meaning that greater than 20% of the sampled rejects were determined to be inappropriate. The parameters for the 2014 FAA are:

  • Sponsors will be required to submit all point-of-sale (POS) rejected claims relating to the following 4 categories: 1) non-formulary status; 2) Prior Authorization (PA); 3) Step Therapy (ST); and 4) Quantity Limits (QL).
  • Larger plans (≥ 20,000 enrollees) should submit rejected claims data for service dates of June 1, 2014 through June 14, 2014 and smaller plans (< 20,000 enrollees) should submit rejected claims data for service dates of June 1, 2014 through June 30, 2014.

If you were one of the plans selected for the FAA, you were required to upload files to the Acumen site between October 16 and October 22. CMS will then select a sampling of the rejected claims for review. Those plan sponsors who meet or exceed the failure threshold will receive a notice of non-compliance and depending on how badly the plan sponsor exceeds the failure threshold, additional sampling and compliance actions may result.

Not to beat a dead horse, but this should again remind us of the importance of formulary benefit administration testing---rigorous and extensive at the beginning of the plan year and at every point during the plan year when formulary changes are made. You can't afford NOT to.

Resources

Beneficiaries should be able to receive the Part D drugs they are entitled to, consistent with CMS guidance, from January 1st through December 31st of the plan year.

We can help your MAPD or PDP develop and implement efficient and compliant internal operations and prepare effectively for CMS audits with professional services and unmatched compliance tools. Contact us to learn more >>

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>


Marketplaces — Your Stars are coming

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been aggressively working in the background to establish the Star Ratings program for the Marketplaces, thus consumers will have their first quality information by 2017.  Selecting a Marketplace health plan will no longer be based only on price or provider.  As such, quality ratings will have a bearing on market share.

Notably, CMS is also creating future Stars for hospitals, dialysis centers, home health with nursing homes and physicians.  However, it's different for the Marketplaces. 

The CMS plan starts with a beta test in 2015 by collecting both clinical data defined by HEDIS and consumer rating data collected via CAHPS.  Clearly, neither of these is untested.  CMS has extensive experience using both HEDIS and CAHPS to build Stars in the Medicare Advantage program; a process that has evolved over the last six years.  CMS has honed its methods for conducting statistical analysis of each measure into a dynamic process that annually adds and removes measures to refine information provided to consumers.  Notably, CMS is also paying rewards to higher performing plans.  Even more significant for 2015, CMS has suspended its regulatory authority to terminate low performing plans.  CMS is seeing the focus of these plans on improving Stars when faced with termination.

With the wealth of experience in running Stars in Medicare Advantage, this beta test is merely an assessment of collecting the information from Marketplace plans and validating data and statistical analysis methods.  There will not be a long ramp up similar to what Medicare Advantage plans experienced before CMS put in Marketplace rewards and penalties.

If you haven't already, now's the time to put your team in place.  Not just to respond to CMS setup requirements and contract with your HEDIS and CAHPS vendors, but to also begin establishing the Stars team as an operational component in your organization.  It will be important to create a focus to find and monitor operations that affect Stars performance.  Building the proper team and charging them with the responsibility to track and develop a Stars framework is necessary for a long-term commitment to achieving five-Star performance.

 

 Resources

Save the Date for the Gorman Health Group 2015 Forum. Join us April 7-9, 2015 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Learn more about the event >>