CVS Health, RUSH to increase healthcare access for Chicago-area Medicare patients
CVS Accountable Care Organization, a division of the CVS Health family of businesses, has entered into a collaboration with RUSH University System for Health to expand access for Medicare patients to RUSH clinical services in the Chicago area.
The collaboration is based on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation's redesigned direct contracting model, ACO Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health.
The collaboration enables patients seeking health services at various ACO REACH-participating MinuteClinic locations in Chicago and Evanston to access care with RUSH and other ACO REACH entities for follow-up primary and specialty care. MinuteClinic locations offer in-person and virtual care seven days a week, with same-day appointments and extended hours.
“RUSH is honored and excited to work with CVS Health,” said Omar Lateef, RUSH president and CEO. “This provides another option for patients at a time when access to high-quality health care is more important than ever. It will help strengthen care coordination for patients, while enabling them to receive services convenient to where they live and work.”
[Read more: CVS Health report highlights need for expanded role of retail pharmacists]
To fulfill the organizations’ shared commitment to delivering accessible, affordable, coordinated and equitable care, RUSH will be the only Chicago-area academic medical center participant in CVS ACO REACH’s first Accountable Care Organization based on the REACH model. ACO REACH prioritizes health equity and the reduction of unnecessary medical costs by moving patients away from Medicare’s fee-for-service system and toward value-based care.
“As part of CVS Health’s care delivery strategy, we are engaging our assets on behalf of this ACO REACH population to help drive high-quality outcomes, promote health equity and bring healthcare costs down,” said Mohamed Diab, CEO, CVS Accountable Care Organization, noting CVS Health's omnichannel care model that focuses on expanding virtual and in-person services in community-based MinuteClinic and HealthHUB locations. “Our strategic alignment with RUSH has the potential to help improve longitudinal care for their Medicare population of 35,000 beneficiaries.”
The agreement builds on RUSH’s successes in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to ensure patients have access to equitable, accessible and high-quality care. Over the last two years, RUSH has led the way in value-based care among Chicago-area academic health organizations.
Customized support will be offered for Medicare patients who need it, including home-based care, transportation support for annual wellness visits, cost sharing to help with co-pays and other enhanced services and incentives.
[Read more: CVS Health launches HERe, Healthier Happens Together]
CVS Health and RUSH have longstanding commitments to reducing inequities that drive unequal health outcomes. CVS Health is committed to advancing health equity for its customers, colleagues clients and communities by improving trust, healthcare access and quality of health for every population it serves, CVS Health said.
“In every part of our business at CVS Health, we ensure that culturally competent care is integrated into the design and development of new population health initiatives, products and services,” Diab said. “Our new ACO REACH work and collaboration with RUSH is another example of our focus on improving health equity.”
Recognizing the injustice of growing gaps in health outcomes, locally and nationally, RUSH in 2019 became one of the first academic health systems to make health equity a strategic priority.
“RUSH has a long-held commitment to improving the health of the communities we serve,” said Lateef. “This agreement reflects that strong commitment and a terrific opportunity to build upon that foundation of strong community-based programs and partnerships and have impact for patients on day one.”