Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation Awards $19 Million Grant to Develop Oncology Medical Home Model

Dr. Barbara McAneny to Head Multi-State Three-Year Project to Implement and Test New Cancer Care Delivery System

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Aug 01, 2012, 08:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Community Oncology Alliance (COA), a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and fostering community cancer care, announced today that Dr. Barbara McAneny, a COA board member, chief executive officer of New Mexico Cancer Center, and Innovative Business Solutions have been awarded the Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA) funding opportunity from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). This $19 million grant will fund the project to implement and test a medical home model of care delivery for newly diagnosed or relapsed Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as commercially insured patients with breast, lung, or colorectal cancer.

Implementation will begin in Dr. McAneny's practice in New Mexico and roll out in six other practices, yet to be announced, over the next six months. Through comprehensive outpatient oncology care, including patient education, team care, medication management, and management and monitoring of patient satisfaction, 24/7 practice access and inpatient care coordination, the medical home model will improve the timelines and appropriateness of care, reduce unnecessary testing and reduce avoidable emergency room visits and hospitalizations. The $19,757,338 award will fund the three year program and provide an estimated savings over three years of $33,514,877.

"This project will create a group of loosely affiliated practices that will focus on the alignment of the multiple components to ensure quality care," said Dr. McAneny. "I am confident that the better care provided by centralized comprehensive care will not only improve patient quality of life and prolong survival, but will also prove to be the most economical model for cancer care."

"Dr. McAneny's award will give us a roadmap of this protocol for more beneficial patient care," added Ted Okon, COA executive director. "COA is working with key stakeholders – patients, providers and payers – to develop an oncology medical home program as a means for providing better, more economical, community-based cancer care.

CMMI received nearly 3,000 applications and will fund a total of 107 projects that represent health care innovators from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. According to estimates from the awardees, these projects intend to save the health care system an estimated $1.9 billion over the next three years. The grant awarded to Innovative Business Solutions to test the medical home model of care delivery is the sole award within oncology. Currently one man in two and one woman in three will develop cancer within their lifetime making cancer care and the ability to deliver affordable, quality care an issue for every American.

About Community Oncology Alliance (COA)
Formed in 2003 by community oncologists, COA is a non-profit organization dedicated solely to community oncology, where four out of five Americans with cancer are treated. COA has mobilized community oncology to become more politically active, and increased awareness on Capitol Hill about the community cancer care delivery system. Additionally, COA has brought together community oncology practices from across the country to share information in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the cancer care they provide to their patients. COA also has a multi-stakeholder group involved with the implementation of the Oncology Medical Home, a cancer care model that fosters quality and value in cancer care. More information can be found at www.communityoncology.org.

SOURCE Community Oncology Alliance