The CHRONIC Care Act updates fundamental principles of the Medicare program by allowing Medicare Advantage plans, for the first time, to pay for services that are not primarily health-related, and to target these services toward meeting individual needs. These changes require new principles to guide implementation of the law and successful, long-term adoption of Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) in a manner that improves healthcare for chronically ill beneficiaries.
In recognition of this need, Anne Tumlinson Innovations and the Long-Term Quality Alliance convened a working group comprised of a diverse array of national experts on Medicare Advantage and long-term services and supports. Through a consensus process, this working group developed Guiding Principles for New Flexibility Under Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill.