CMS NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8,
2015
Contact: CMS Media Relations
CMS
Releases First Ever Plan to Address Health Equity in Medicare
Today, the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH), unveiled
the first CMS plan to address health equity in Medicare. The CMS Equity
Plan for Improving Quality in Medicare (CMS Equity Plan for Medicare)
is an action-oriented plan that focuses on six priority areas and aims to
reduce health disparities in four years.
The plan was released at a
conference entitled: Medicare & Medicaid at 50: Their Past,
Present, and Future Impact on Health Equity, which was held in
commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid and the
30th anniversary of the 1985 Report
of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health, also
known as the Heckler Report.
“As we strive to create a
health care system that provides better care, spends dollars more wisely
and creates healthier people, CMS is committed to achieving equity for
minority and other underserved populations and eliminating health
disparities among Medicare beneficiaries,” said CMS Acting Administrator
Andy Slavitt.
The Equity Plan focuses on
Medicare populations that experience disproportionately high burdens of
disease, lower quality of care,
and barriers accessing care. These include racial and ethnic minorities,
sexual and gender minorities, people with disabilities, and those living in
rural areas.
The priorities and activities
described in the plan were developed during a rigorous year-long process in
collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago, which included
examining evidence, identifying opportunities, and gathering input from a
broad array of stakeholders across the country. Six priority areas and
several high-yield activities serve as the plan’s foundation. They include:
- Priority 1: Expand the
Collection, Reporting, and Analysis of Standardized Data
- Priority 2: Evaluate
Disparities Impacts and Integrate Equity Solutions Across CMS Programs
- Priority 3: Develop and
Disseminate Promising Approaches to Reduce Health Disparities
- Priority 4: Increase the
Ability of the Health Care Workforce to Meet the Needs of Vulnerable
Populations
- Priority 5: Improve
Communication and Language Access for Individuals with Limited English
Proficiency and Persons with Disabilities
- Priority 6: Increase Physical
Accessibility of Health Care Facilities
“Making sure care is equitable
is often the forgotten core area of focus for ensuring that the health
system is meeting patient needs and delivering high quality care. The CMS
Equity Plan for Medicare will help to ensure that as we work towards better
care, smarter spending, and healthier people we also continue to work to
achieve health equity in Medicare,” said Cara James, director of the CMS
Office of Minority Health. “We know that in order to achieve the goals of
the plan, we need to work with many stakeholders, and we hope that as we
start to implement the activities in the plan, we will see a number of them
join us on the path to equity.”
The foundation for addressing
each of the plan’s priorities includes the following interconnected
principles that guide CMS’ efforts to achieve health equity:
- Increasing
understanding and awareness of disparities;
- Developing and
disseminating solutions; and
- Taking sustainable
action and evaluating progress.
To learn more about the six priorities and achieving health equity in
Medicare visit: https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/omh/index.html
The Affordable Care Act
(ACA) established Offices of Minority Health within six agencies of the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The CMS Office of Minority
Health (CMS OMH) collaborates with local and other federal partners to
improve minority health and eliminate health disparities by ensuring that
the voices and the needs of the populations it represents (racial and
ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, and people with disabilities)
are present as the Agency is developing, implementing, and evaluating its
programs and policies.
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Twitter Hashtag will be: #CMSPath2Equity
A livestream
of the conference will be available during the event, as well as via video
archive after the fact, for those unable to attend the conference.
Livestreaming
will begin on September 8, 2015 at 9:00 am - 4:30 pm, with a one-hour break
for lunch at 12:45 pm.
YouTube:
If you are unable to livestream,
you can access the recording on YouTube at:
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Morning Session:
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Afternoon Session:
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2015 Sep 8th, OMH – Heckler Report/50
Anniversary Medicare Event
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