Resources are available to educate patients about Chronic Care Management
About half of all adults in the United States – 117 million people – have one or more chronic health conditions such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or dementia, and one in four adults have two or more conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When patients have multiple chronic conditions, coordinating health care services among their doctors is key to providing quality care. And those living with multiple health conditions know too well what it feels like to juggle their health needs. Between doctor visits, taking the right medications at the right times, and following advice from different health care professionals, managing your health can be overwhelming.
But it doesn’t have to be.
If you have Medicare and live with two or more chronic conditions like arthritis or high blood pressure, Chronic Care Management services (CCM) can help you connect the dots to better coordinate your care between specialists, testing centers, hospitals, and pharmacies. Ask your doctor about Chronic Care Management Services and get the connected care you need. You may receive the following services:
** At least 20 minutes a month of CCM services
** Personalized assistance from a dedicated health care professional who will work with you to create a care plan
** Coordination of care between your pharmacy, specialists, testing centers, hospitals, and more
** Phone check-ins between visits to keep you on track
** 24/7 emergency access to a health care professional
** Expert assistance with setting and meeting your health goals
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) recently introduced the Connected Care campaign to raise awareness about Chronic Care Management services among Medicare patients with multiple chronic health needs and their doctors.
Visit the Connected Care website at go.cms.gov/CCM to download free resources, including a new animated video that can help you learn more about the benefits of CCM. Talk to your doctor or nurse today to see if they offer CCM and how you can participate.
Angela Brice-Smith is regional administrator for the Atlanta and Dallas regional offices of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servics. She is also deputy consortium administrator for the centers’ Consortium for Quality Improvement and Survey and Certification Operations.