HCFA Demonstration Grant/ME Cares

The Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA) wants to know if programs that coordinate care for Medicare Beneficiaries with chronic illnesses can help improve the quality of care while keeping costs at a reasonable level.  To answer the question, HCFA has selected 15 organizations from 45 applicants to serve as demonstration sites.  Medical Care Development, representing the ME Cares coordinated care program for Maine patients with heart disease, has been selected as one of the sites.

This is good news for Maine citizens and Maine providers.  First, Maine patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Congestive Heart Failure will have improved access to a model of care where nurse-physician teams work with patients to promote healthy life style changes and a proactive approach to care.  Second, Maine providers participating in the demonstration project will now receive reimbursement from Medicare for these services.  During the past year, 17 hospitals have participated in the ME Cares program.  With the demonstration project, the number is expected to jump to 30, servicing most of the State's population.  Third, ME Cares, along with the 14 other demonstration sites, will gather important information about the value of coordinated care programs which HCFA will use to shape future policy.

As more details of the demonstration project are determined, this message will be updated.  For any questions or further information, please contact Claudette Bean at 207-622-7566, ext. 260 or by e-mail at cbean@mcd.org. 

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Medical Care Development, Inc., 11 Parkwood Drive, Augusta, Maine  04330