agilon health Applauds Additional Participation Options for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation Direct Contracting Initiative

LONG BEACH, Calif., Dec. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation announced an additional geographic participation option for its Direct Contracting model. The new option will expand and advance the portfolio of accountable, coordinated care models offered for traditional Medicare patients.

The Direct Contracting model is a voluntary demonstration project that incentivizes better health outcomes for patients rather than the volume of services provided. The model seeks to align traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage, creating efficiencies and reducing burden for physician practices. The model also gives physician practices additional tools to coordinate and improve care for seniors in traditional Medicare. The Geographic option will give physician practices additional mechanisms to participate in total cost of care risk models with additional features and benefits.

"The agency's action yesterday is the next step forward in designing bold new care delivery and payment options in traditional Medicare that can improve care and lower costs in traditional Medicare" said Steven Sell, Chief Executive Officer, agilon health. "This participation option provides another opportunity to build on the success our partners have seen in value-based models including accountable care organizations, CPC Plus, and Medicare Advantage," Sell concluded.

Earlier this year, agilon health announced that, together with its physician practice partners, it is participating in six Global Direct Contracting Entities effective October 1, 2020. The agilon health partners participating in the model represent approximately 500 primary care doctors providing care to more than 60,000 fee-for-service Medicare patients in seven states.

About agilon health

agilon health is the only health-care company of its kind, empowering and partnering with doctors to lead the transformation of their practices toward a future that rewards bold action, market-leading growth and durable patient relationships. Through the power of a national community of like-minded physicians and an integrated operating platform, we are leading the reinvention of health care delivery.

A unique and practice-branded joint operating model developed with its physician partners allows practices to boldly design and launch a financially aligned total care model for Medicare Advantage patients, unifying the physician and patient experience.  The result: empowered physician leaders, thriving practices, healthier communities, and practicing physicians who are rewarded intrinsically and financially by spending the right amount of time with the right patients who get the right treatments.

Since its founding in 2016, the agilon health community of physician partners has grown to 11 markets across 7 states.  Leading physician groups such as Austin Regional Clinic, Buffalo Medical Group, Central Ohio Primary Care, Preferred Primary Care Physicians, and Wilmington Health are collaborating through the agilon health platform. Today there are more than 160,000 Medicare Advantage members on the agilon health platform with 1,400 primary-care physicians. Visit www.agilonhealth.com.

SOURCE agilon health