06 Mar HCTTF Provides Input to CMS on CY 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Advance Notice
The Health Care Transformation Task Force submitted comments to the Center for Medicare at CMS on the CY 2024 Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D Advance Notice. The Task Force’s comments focus on policy proposals related to the Star Ratings program, including proposals on the Health Equity Index, and the design and implementation of new measures addressing mental health and unmet social needs. Task Force positions are summarized below:
- Star Ratings Program Health Equity Proposals: Consistent with prior policy communications to CMS, the Task Force’s comments offer support for the proposal to stratify MA Star Ratings measure data by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identify, socio-economic status, and other demographic factors that affect health access and outcomes. In addition, the Task Force continues to support the creation of a Health Equity Index, noting that our comments in response to the CY 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Notice of Proposed Rulemaking included recommendations for methodological adjustments to the HEI’s construction.
- Development of a Measure on Social Connection Screening and Intervention: The Task Force supports CMS working in collaboration with NCQA to develop a measure that assesses whether a beneficiary is screened for social isolation, and subsequently referred to supporting interventions as needed. The comments include a recommendation that the measure allow for plans to use existing tools and infrastructure to conduct these screenings.
- Expanding Star Ratings to Assess Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Unmet Social Needs: The Advance Notice includes proposals to include screenings for both Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and unmet health-related social needs in the Star Ratings program. The Task Force supports the goals associated with this expansion, and recommends CMS consider tools – in addition to the Health Outcome Survey (HOS) – for fielding these screening assessments in a manner that will make the information most actionable by clinicians and providers.