Interwell Health Delivers Strong Quality Scores and Shared Savings in CMS Value-Based Kidney Care Model
- Interwell achieved top quality scores and sustained savings growth over the first three years of the Kidney Care Choices Model
BAD HOMBURG, Germany, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Interwell Health, the value-based care operating segment of Fresenius Medical Care, has released new results showcasing exceptional performance in the U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation's (CMMI) Kidney Care Choices (KCC) Model1. As the largest participant in the Comprehensive Kidney Care Contracting (CKCC) program option, Interwell delivered $273 million in shared savings2 to the government program and consistently achieved top quality scores (88% average, 9 points higher than non-Interwell CKCC participants) over the first three years of the program, solidifying its leadership in value-based kidney care.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released new data that highlights Interwell's strong results in the CKCC program:
- Industry-leading quality: Largest share of high performer pool (44% of three-year total), with the most high performers and most perfect scores in 2024
- Outstanding financial results: 43% higher three-year average adjusted gross savings rate compared to non-Interwell Kidney Care Entities (KCEs)
- Scalable growth: Increased gross savings 1 percentage point year over year while serving the largest patient population (in 2024, Interwell served 59,520 patients across 23 KCEs)
"Our leadership in the CKCC program further validates that Interwell Health is setting the standard for kidney care," said Tommy O'Connor, CEO of Interwell Health. "Our consistent quality results and ability to improve patient outcomes at scale demonstrate that value-based care transforms lives and delivers significant savings to the healthcare system. When you combine a compassionate network of patient-centered nephrologists with Interwell's hands-on care model and advanced technology, patients win."
Year-over-year improvement and industry leadership
CMMI developed the KCC Model to test strategies that increase care coordination for Medicare patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) while improving outcomes and reducing total cost of care. Since the program's inception, Interwell has consistently delivered measurable improvements in quality metrics including:
- Higher rates of optimal dialysis starts, which measures the percent of patients who transition from late-stage CKD to ESRD care by starting dialysis at home, starting dialysis in-center with permanent dialysis access, or receiving a preemptive kidney transplant
- Improved Patient Activation Measure (PAM) scores, which measure a patient's knowledge and confidence in managing their health
- Increased use of home-based therapies, which measures the percent of patients who start dialysis at home instead of in-center
Additionally, Interwell grew its gross shared savings rate 71% over three years (3.6% in 2024 from 2.1% in 2022), reflecting the growing financial success of the CKCC Model as it matures.
Interwell supports nephrology practices in the CKCC with resources including embedded renal care coordinators (RCCs), clinical documentation support, and advanced analytics. "Without an RCC I don't know how this program would work, because the RCCs do so much in terms of increasing optimal starts and engaging family members," said Dr. William McElhaugh, a nephrologist at Kidney Care Specialists. "We also use Acumen®, Interwell's electronic health record system, which allows us to see patients' medical histories to ensure that they are risk stratified properly, which you need to do to be successful in a value-based program." Kidney Care Specialists is part of the Interwell Philadelphia KCE, one of only five KCEs to earn a perfect score in the 2024 program year.
Interwell's ongoing success in value-based kidney care is powered by its robust network of more than 2,300 nephrologist partners, comprehensive care model, proprietary Epic® Connect EHR platform Interwell Acumen™, and tight alignment with Fresenius Medical Care. Together, these capabilities enable a sustainable approach to kidney disease management that reduces costs and improves outcomes across the care continuum.
About Fresenius Medical Care:
Fresenius Medical Care is the world's leading provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases of which around 4.5 million patients worldwide regularly undergo dialysis treatment. Through its network of 3,539 dialysis clinics, Fresenius Medical Care provides dialysis treatments for approx. 290,000 patients around the globe. Fresenius Medical Care is also the leading provider of dialysis products such as dialysis machines or dialyzers. Fresenius Medical Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME) and on the New York Stock Exchange (FMS).
For more information visit the company's website at www.freseniusmedicalcare.com.
About Interwell Health:
As a leading provider of value-based kidney care, Interwell Health is on a mission to reimagine healthcare to help patients live their best lives. Interwell, the value-based care operating segment of Fresenius Medical Care, is setting the standard for the industry by producing sustainable savings and driving exceptional quality results at unmatched scale. The company leverages a two-pronged approach that includes total patient care and provider enablement to serve patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) from stage 3 to kidney failure. In partnership with more than 2,300 nephrologists, the Interwell interdisciplinary care team leverages advanced machine learning algorithms to personalize care for patients.
To learn more, visit interwellhealth.com.
Disclaimers:
This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, changes in business, economic and competitive conditions, legal changes, regulatory approvals, results of clinical studies, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, uncertainties in litigation or investigative proceedings, and the availability of financing. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in Fresenius Medical Care's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Fresenius Medical Care does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release.
Epic and Epic Connect are trademarks of Epic Systems Corporation. Acumen® has licensed an instance of Epic EHR software but is otherwise not affiliated with Epic Systems Corporation.
1 The statements contained in this press release are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CMS. The authors assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in this document.
2 Savings fully reflected in prior years' financial figures reported by FME
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SOURCE Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
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