News: New federal GUIDE Model aims to assist dementia patients and their caregivers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a new eight year long program (through July 1, 2032) to assist dementia patients and their caregivers.
According to the CMS press release, the aim of the GUIDE Model program is to “improve quality of life for people living with dementia, reduce strain on their unpaid caregivers, and enable people living with dementia to remain in their homes and communities.”
Eligible beneficiaries will receive 24/7 access to a support line, caregiver training, evidence-based education, and support services.
Participants in the program must be Medicare Part B enrolled providers/suppliers, excepting durable medical equipment and laboratory suppliers. According to CMS, there will be two tracks of eligible participants divided along already established dementia care programs (DCP) and new programs.
To be considered an eligible participant in the program, established DCP programs must possess an interdisciplinary care team (including a care navigator), an electronic health platform that meets the standards for Certified Electronic Health Record Technology, and must also meet the request for application (RFA) delivery requirements. New programs must not be operating a comprehensive community based DCP at the time of announcement.
Beneficiaries of the program are eligible if they:
- Have dementia confirmed by a clinician practicing within the model
- Are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B and have Medicare as their primary payer
- Are not enrolled in the Medicare hospice benefit
- Do not reside in a nursing home
The Model will launch on July 1, 2024, and will run until July 1, 2032. The GUIDE’s RFA will be released later this Fall.
Editor’s note: To read the CMS GUIDE Model outline, click here. To read the McDermott Will & Emery summary of the model’s beneficiary requirements, click here.