CMS’ Strategic Plan to advance health equity addresses the health disparities that underlie the health system. CMS defines health equity as the attainment of the highest level of health for all people, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their optimal health.
The goals for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation within CMS, is to promote a health system that achieves equitable outcomes through high quality, affordable, person-centered care.
Actions to date include:
- Incorporating equity in model design—This includes developing and implementing health equity plans, quality measurement, and includes a robust evaluation for health equity impact which is the central focus of all models
- Addressing historical underinvestment through payment adjustments of enhanced benefits—To expand access and improve care for underserved populations to support providers who disproportionately care for medically and socially complex beneficiaries in CMMI models
- Improving rates of participation—To include safety net providers, including community health centers and disproportionate share hospitals to enable beneficiaries in underserved communities to benefit from increased access to innovative models designed to improve care quality
- Increasing collection of sociodemographic data—To measure the proportion of patients from underserved populations in models to allow assessment of underserved populations
Next steps to advance equity:
- Develop approaches to model design and the model application process to improve participation of applicants that provide care for underserved communities
- Require and consider incentives of supports for the collection of beneficiary level demographic data to identify and monitor impacts on underserved beneficiaries in CMMI models
- Incorporate screening and referral for social needs, coordinate with community-based organizations, and collect social needs data in standardized formats
Go to https://cms.gov/files/document/health-equity-fact-sheet.pdf for the 2022 CMS Strategic Plan PILLAR: HEALTH EQUITY