BETTER MEDICARE ALLIANCE STATEMENT ON CMS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE V-BID 2019 MODEL UPDATE
For Immediate Release
November 22, 2017
Washington, D.C. – Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) President and CEO Allyson Y. Schwartz released the following statement in response to an announcement from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding updating the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID) Model for 2019:
“The V-BID demonstration is instrumental in examining and testing evidence that care models tailored to individual health needs in Medicare Advantage improve outcomes for high-need beneficiaries and reduce costs.
“The value of the V-BID demonstration warrants an expansion both in scope and in reach. Better Medicare Alliance has advocated both for expansion of the V-BID demonstration and the opportunity it presents to evaluate a variety of models. We appreciate the extension to 25 states as well as the inclusion of additional clinical conditions.
“The structure of the V-BID model had been restricted to certain clinical conditions including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, past stroke, hypertension, coronary artery disease and mood disorders. Now Medicare beneficiaries suffering from serious conditions such as chronic kidney disease, obesity/pre-diabetes, asthma, lower back pain and tobacco use will be included.
“We support policies that enable Medicare Advantage to have flexibility in benefit design to address individual health status and complex, chronic conditions. We are pleased Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans otherwise known as C-SNPs will now be included in the V-BID demonstration. These positive changes expand the opportunity for Medicare Advantage plans and providers to tailor supplemental benefits and care delivery to offer high-need beneficiaries better access to care as well as treatments they need to live healthier lives.
“Medicare Advantage continues to lead the way towards innovative, value-driven care that is a model for the rest of the modern health care system. With these changes, CMS has indicated a strong intention to support Medicare Advantage in advancing the goal of finding effective ways to meet the needs of patients.”
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