The United States of Care (USofCare) released a post with a series of recommendations to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) – also known as The Innovation Center – for creating a better and more equitable healthcare system in the pandemic’s wake.
The post continued, consistent with our mission, USofCare believes that the voices and lived experiences of people are critical to achieving equity and must be infused throughout the health policy decision-making process. The pandemic has illuminated long-standing flaws in our health system, first and foremost persistent and growing inequities. We simply cannot go back to the way it was before. The Innovation Center plays an influential role in identifying and testing models that can shape the entire health care system into one that better rewards quality and meets people’s needs.
“The significant changes over the past year in how people live, work, play, and experience health care in America provides a historic opportunity to create a more intentionally equitable health care system in the pandemic’s wake,” said Emily Barson, Executive Director, United States of Care. “CMMI can assist in this effort by testing models of care delivery and collecting data critical to developing more equitable health policies that meet people’s needs. Not only would this provide invaluable insight into what works and what does not, but it would also move our health care system towards one that works for as many people as possible.”
More specifically, The Innovation Center is uniquely well-positioned to:
· Design models based on the needs of people
· Test models that infuse equity into care in an intentional and structured way
· Learn what works by testing new incentives in Medicaid
· Improve care for people with disabilities and multiple health conditions
· Put mental health care on equal footing with physical healthcare
· Partner with America’s employers and health plans for the public good
· Test virtual care models to optimize quality and access for people
This document was developed in close collaboration with select members of our United States of Care Leadership Councils.
