There were two important pieces of information I found this week pertaining to Medicare. 1) The personal information of 600,000+ Medicare beneficiaries were accessed in the MoveIt data breach and 2) CMS announces a new dementia care model for Medicare patients. For all who are on who know people on Medicare, read on!
Data Breach Impact
CMS (The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) announced they are sending letters to people potentially affected by the data breach. This letter will provide information about how to obtain a new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number and offering two years of free credit monitoring services.
Information potentially breached includes: beneficiaries; names; social security numbers; medical history and diagnoses; and other personal details. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious – these data breaches are rough.
New Dementia Care Model
On July 31, 2023 CMS announced a new dementia care model called GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience). CMS will test an alternative payment for participants who deliver key supportive services to people with dementia.
These services include comprehensive person-centered assessments and care plans, care coordination, non-clinical services and 24/7 access to a support line. This model will also include assistance and resources for caregivers of people with dementia.
This model strives to delay long-term nursing home care and the pilot program will test a per-patient/per-month payment model for people who provide support services to people with dementia. The non-clinical services mentioned were meals and transportation services through community-based organizations.
CMS will release the application for GUIDE, a voluntary, nationwide model, in Fall 2023. Prior to the application release, interested organizations are encouraged to submit Letters of Intent to CMS by September 15, 2023. The model will run for eight years beginning July 1, 2024.
For additional information, CMS has developed a GUIDE Model Fact Sheet or visit the GUIDE Model webpage.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Caregiving Resources
For more than 40 years, Family Caregiver Alliance has provided services to family caregivers of adults with physical and cognitive impairments (including dementia). They have expanded their network throughout the US from their home office of San Francisco. Their programs and services are:
- FCA CareNav is a secure online solution for quality information, support, and resources for family caregivers. Anyone from anywhere can receive tailored information and resources by answering an online questionnaire and receive follow-up by FCA staff.
- Bay Area Caregiver Resource Center serves the six-counties of San Francisco Bay Area that houses our professional staff who work closely with families caring for adults with adult-onset cognitive impairments and chronic health conditions. The agency has multiple contracts for direct services and supports that include: assessment and care planning, emotional support options, training on care conditions and direct care assistance, legal/financial consultation, respite services, support groups and other supportive services. Caregivers have access to their information within their CareNav personal client record.
- Services By State helps caregivers locate support services across the U.S. Check out your state resources HERE.
- National Center on Caregiving unites research, policy, and practice to advance the development of high-quality, cost-effective programs and policies for caregivers in every state. We work collaboratively with other organizations to promote services and policies and serve on numerous national advisories connected with projects that focus on unpaid family caregivers.
Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/chess-pieces-on-a-scale-8431787/
An Ounce of Prevention
The proverb from Benjamin Franklin “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is a classic! I’d like to have a magic wand! Imagine I am waving it to each of you saying it is possible to get comfortable, even when things are uncomfortable ❣️
Considering the adjustments to life as you know it in advance is truly an ounce of prevention. And yes, this can be uncomfortable and possible to make progress.
When you’re ready to give it a go with your ounce of prevention review, contact me to set up a time to meet. Email: Lynn@thelivingplanner.com or if you’d prefer to schedule a Complimentary Discovery Call to discuss your situation, reach out. My main website is: https://thelivingplanner.com and my online DIY information is located at https://courses.thelivingplanner.com
Albert Einstein said, “Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.” Time to tap into the genius in all of us ❣️Lynn
LifeHacks #CareForPeopleCareForBusiness