Medicare Care Choices Model: Third annual report released

Image: CMS MCCM report.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the third annual report on the Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM).

Key Findings

• MCCM led to a 25 percent decrease in total Medicare expenditures, which generated $21.5 million in net savings between January 1, 2016 and September 30, 2019, largely by reducing inpatient care through increased use of MHB by the 3,603 Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in the model and died during this period.
• Beneficiaries in MCCM were 20 percent more likely to enroll in the Medicare hospice benefit and elected MHB one week earlier, on average, than the comparison group (two weeks earlier when including beneficiaries who enrolled in MCCM more than a year prior to death).
• MCCM hospices provided high-quality care to most enrollees, and most caregivers were highly satisfied with the care received through the model and transitions to MHB. At the same time, the documentation of comprehensive assessments and advance care planning discussions varied widely across hospices.

CMS reports that 85 MCCM hospices (60%) of the original 141 participants remained in the model as of September 30, 2019.

4,988 beneficiaries enrolled in MCCM out of over 18,000 beneficiaries referred; 3,603 of these enrollees died as of September 30, 2019.

MCCM enrollment remained concentrated in a small number of hospices: 9 hospices enrolled 54% of all MCCM beneficiaries. Top enrolling MCCM hospices were more likely to be located in urban areas and to enroll somewhat fewer minorities, but other characteristics, including size, were not significantly different across MCCM hospices.

Download a summary of the MCCM report.