RI Health Care Initiative to Receive Federal Support-Will Allow More Patients to Get Care from Innovative Program-November 17, 2010 CSI is a three year old project convened by the Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner that brings together leading primary care practices, the state’s health insurers, and employers to transform care for chronically ill patients by coordinating payments, contractual terms, and collaborative efforts. It has demonstrably improved the quality of care for these patients and is recognized as a national model. Currently, CSI providers offer coordinated, patient-centered care to the Medicare patients they treat, but are not eligible for supplemental assistance from Medicare to help defray the added costs associated with this higher-quality care. Acceptance into MAPCP will allow CSI providers to receive enhanced payments from Medicare for the service they provide. “We know that when doctors work together, patients receive better care. This is particularly true for seniors who typically visit multiple doctors for a variety of health care conditions. With the implementation of this program, doctors will now be supported by Medicare in their efforts to coordinate and integrate care, which will keep patients healthier. I hope this program can help
“By pursuing a new model for the payment and delivery of health services, CSI is improving care for Rhode Islanders and putting our state again on the cutting edge of the reform effort,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “The federal support announced today, paired with the Beacon Communities grant “
“Rhode Island CSI has laid the groundwork for a more effective, patient-centered approach to health care in
“The MAPCP designation provides important resources to the practices in
Since 2008, medical practices participating in CSI have documented significant improvement in clinical quality of care for diabetes, depression, and heart disease. CSI participating practices include: Cranston Family Health & Sports Medicine, Hillside Avenue Family & Community Medicine; University Medicine – Governor St. Primary Care Center; Costal Medical, Inc. – Greenville; Thundermist Health Center; Stuart Demirs, MD; South County Hospital Family Medicine; Memorial Hospital Family Care Center; Carla Cesario, MD, Dariusz Kostrzewa, MD, Stephen Maguire, DO, and Michael Gonzalez, MD; Costal Medical, Inc. – Wakefield; Kristine Cunniff, MD; South County Internal Medicine; and Thundermist Health Center of South County. In September, the delegation wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to support the inclusion of CSI in MAPCP. “The stability and proven early success of
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