CMS Announces Part D Enhanced Medication Therapy Management Model Demonstration – On September 28, 2015, CMS announced a Part D Enhanced Medication Therapy Management Model (Enhanced MTM Model) that is designed to assess whether providing additional payment incentives to certain Part D Sponsors will enhance the MTM program, resulting in enriched therapeutic outcomes for beneficiaries and reducing overall Medicare expenditures. 

CMS anticipates that the Enhanced MTM Model will begin on January 1, 2017.  The Enhanced MTM Model is currently expected to have a five-year performance period and CMS intends to rollout the demonstration in the following Part D Regions: Region 7 (Virginia), Region 11 (Florida), Region 21 (Louisiana), Region 25 (Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming), and Region 28 (Arizona).  Under the Enhanced MTM Model, eligible Sponsors in the CMS Part D Regions outlined above, upon obtaining approval from CMS, will be authorized to “vary the intensity and types of MTM items and based on beneficiary risk level and seek out a range of strategies to individualize beneficiary and prescriber outreach and engagement.” See CMS Fact Sheet available here. 

CMS invites feedback on the proposed Enhanced MTM Model.  CMS has requested feedback on the proposed Enhanced MTM Model by October 16, 2015. CMS requests that eligible Sponsors that are interested in participating in the Enhanced MTM Model begin developing proposals in accordance with CMS’s September 28 guidance which is available here.  CMS will also host a webinar to provide more information on the Enhanced MTM Model on October 21, 2015.

The CMS Press Release is available here.

HHS Announces $685 Million to Support Clinicians – On September 29, 2015, HHS announced $685 million in awards to 39 national and regional healthcare networks and supporting organizations to promote quality of care, patients’ access to information, and reduce expenditures.  HHS explained that this effort is part of the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative which is “one of the largest federal investments designed to support doctors and other clinicians in all 50 states through collaborative and peer-based learning networks.”

The CMS Press Release is available here. The CMS Fact Sheet is available here.  For more information on the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative, click here.