Medicare Testing House Calls for Chronic Conditions, Accepting Applicants
Hoping sending a doctor to your house will save money, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is starting a house-calls study. It’s called the Independence at Home Demonstration. It will test whether giving certain types of patients primary care at home will both improve care and cut costs.
The program is accepting applications until February 6. According to a press release, participants must:
- Have multiple chronic conditions
- Be covered by original, fee-for-service Medicare
- Require someone’s assistance with two or more activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, eating or walking.
- Have had a medically-necessary hospital admission within the last 12 months
- Have received rehabilitation services in the last 12 months
The trial may accept as many as 10,000 people. You can read more in the press release and apply to the program at CMS.gov.
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Leigh Ann Otte is a freelance writer who specializes in health and aging issues. She covers finding and paying for senior care for OurParents. If you have any questions about this post or need help finding senior-care options for a loved one, call 1-866-483-4896 to speak with a care advisor in your area.
