HSC Health has been selected by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to participate in a new Medicare alternative payment model designed to support people living with dementia and their caregivers, The University of North Texas Health Science Center said on Thursday.
HSC Health and nearly 400 other participants will be building dementia care programs across the country under the CMS’s Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model. The model is designed to increase care coordination and improve access to services and supports, including respite care, for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
The model is part of the Biden Administration’s executive order on increasing access to high-quality care and supporting caregivers and aligns with the national plan to address Alzheimer’s Disease.
HSC Health is the clinical enterprise of UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth.
“GUIDE is a new approach to how Medicare will pay for the care of people living with dementia,” said CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure in a statement. “The GUIDE participants are envisioning new ways to support not only people living with dementia, but also to reduce strain on the people who care for them so that more Americans can remain in their homes and communities rather than in institutions.”
Launched on July 1, the GUIDE Model will test a new payment approach for key supportive services delivered to people living with dementia.
These services include comprehensive, people-centered assessments and care plans, care coordination, 24/7 access to an interdisciplinary care team member or help line, and certain respite services to support caregivers. People with dementia and their caregivers will have the assistance and support of a care navigator to help them access clinical and nonclinical services such as meals and transportation through community-based organizations.
HSC Health’s participation in the GUIDE Model will help people living with dementia and their caregivers to have access to education and support, such as training programs on best practices for caring for a loved one living with dementia, according to a press release.
“We look forward to also providing education and support for caregivers of people who have dementia, and also our partners providing respite care services, so that the caregiver has the knowledge, skills and necessary relief from the caregiving journey,” said Janice Knebl, chief medical officer at HSC Health.
The GUIDE Model also provides respite services for certain people, enabling caregivers to take temporary breaks from their caregiving responsibilities. Respite care is being tested under the GUIDE Model to assess its effect on helping caregivers continue to care for their loved ones at home, preventing or delaying the need for facility care.
GUIDE participants represent a wide range of healthcare providers, including large academic medical centers, small group practices, community-based organizations, health systems, hospice agencies and other practices.