HYANNIS – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced earlier this month that Massachusetts was chosen as one of eight state partners to implement the Making Care Primary model.
Plans for the initiative include improving care for Medicare patients by expanding care management and care coordination, along with equipping primary care clinicians with tools to form partnerships with health care specialists.
Massachusetts is already being recognized for its role as an innovation leader that has initiated efforts to aid both Medicare and Medicaid patients.
One of the organizations considered to be at the forefront of primary care transformation is MassHealth.
In April, MassHealth launched a primary care sub-capitation program with over 1,000 practices participating, including every Federally Qualified Health Center and every major health system in the Commonwealth.
“We are excited to be chosen as a partner with CMS on their MCP model initiative,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh.
“This is a major step forward in aligning Medicaid and Medicare which are two major payers in Massachusetts. This partnership is aligned with our goals of high-quality, person-centric, value-based care across the Commonwealth,” Walsh said.
CMS believes that strong relationships with primary care teams are essential for patients’ overall health, especially for Medicare and Medicaid patients.
The model will launch on July 1, 2024, and primary care organizations within Massachusetts may apply to participate in the MCP model when the application opens at the end of this summer.
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