Fresenius Medical Care Achieves Improved Health Outcomes and Savings through National Medicare Demonstration Program
28 November 2017 - 1:10AM
Business Wire
Results of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Program Administered by Fresenius Medical Care Demonstrate Reduced
Readmission and Hospitalization Rates, Significant Savings
Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), the country’s
leading provider of kidney care products and services, announced
today the first performance year results from its End Stage Renal
Disease Seamless Care Organizations (ESCOs). The results, which
cover the period from October 2015 through December 2016, show
improved health outcomes for patients receiving care coordination
through the ESCOs. This success was validated by an independent
report from Lewin Group, which showed a nearly nine percent
decrease in hospitalization rates for these patients during the
same time. As a result, Fresenius Medical Care ESCOs together
generated more than $43 million in gross savings, an average 5.47%
reduction in expenditures per patient, with all six of its
first-year ESCOs exceeding the shared savings benchmark.
FMCNA’s ESCO programs, known as Fresenius Seamless Care, were
established through an agreement with the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of CMS’ Comprehensive End
Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Care (CEC) Demonstration Program, the
nation’s first disease-specific shared savings program. This
program was designed to identify, test and evaluate new ways to
improve care for Americans with ESRD. Under each ESCO, local
nephrologists and dialysis providers partner to develop innovative
care models based on highly coordinated, patient-centered care.
Patients retain all of their Medicare benefits and the freedom to
choose their providers.
The first-year report covers the period from October 2015
through December 2016 and includes results of FMCNA’s first six
ESCOs, including Philadelphia, Pa.; Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas, Texas;
San Diego, Calif.; Columbia, S.C. and Chicago, Ill. In January
2017, Fresenius Medical Care added 18 new ESCOs for a total of 24,
giving the company the largest ESCO presence of any dialysis
provider in the nation with approximately 800 physician partners.
Including FMCNA, there are currently seven dialysis organizations
participating in the program across 37 ESCOs.
“Since the launch of the ESCO program, we’ve enjoyed a strong
working relationship with CMS and have appreciated the opportunity
to help shape the future of care for this vulnerable patient
population,” said William McKinney, president of FMCNA’s Integrated
Care Group. “The first year results offer validation that our
approach to ESRD patient care, placing the patient at the center of
an intensely focused, highly collaborative care team, is key to
improving patient outcomes, and we’re pleased that CMS allowed us
to expand our services to cover more patients in 2017.”
The success of the Fresenius Seamless Care ESCOs can be largely
attributed to the unique structure of the patient care team. It is
a collaboration between local care providers and FMCNA’s Care
Navigation Unit (CNU), a team of specialized dialysis nurses and
service coordinators who work together closely to provide
around-the-clock care management and patient support. By focusing
on the unique clinical and psycho-social needs of each patient, the
CNU anticipates issues before they arise and helps patients, their
families and their providers respond more quickly.
“We are excited to bring a holistic and high level of care
management and quality focus to these cities, states and regions,”
said Frank Maddux, MD, chief medical officer and executive vice
president for clinical and scientific affairs, FMCNA. “The
reduction in readmissions and hospitalizations, as well as the cost
savings, are only the beginning. We are looking to measure quality
outcomes even more closely so we can continue to improve and
innovate care models for the betterment of our patients.”
As a result of their participation in this advanced alternative
payment model (Advanced APM), all of the nephrologists in FMCNA’s
ESCOs achieved “qualifying provider” status and are eligible for a
5% increase in their 2019 Medicare fee schedule. Participation in
the ESCO program reinforces FMCNA’s support of physicians and the
healthcare system to improve care and reduce costs.
About Fresenius Medical Care North America
Fresenius Medical Care North America is the premier health care
company focused on providing the highest quality care to people
with renal and other chronic conditions. Through its
industry-leading network of dialysis facilities, outpatient cardiac
and vascular labs, and urgent care centers, as well as the
country’s largest practice of hospitalist and post-acute providers,
Fresenius Medical Care North America provides coordinated health
care services at pivotal care points for hundreds of thousands of
chronically ill customers throughout the continent. As the world’s
largest fully integrated renal company, it offers specialty
pharmacy and laboratory services, and manufactures and distributes
the most comprehensive line of dialysis equipment, disposable
products and renal pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit the
FMCNA website at https://fmcna.com.
The statements contained in this document are solely those of
the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of
CMS. The authors assume responsibility for the accuracy and
completeness of the information contained in this document.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171127005535/en/
Fresenius Medical Care North AmericaKatherine Dobbs,
781-699-9039Vice President of Corporate
CommunicationsKatherine.Dobbs@fmc-na.com
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