Most providers getting ready to meet Medicare's chronic care management requirements

About three-quarters of providers are ready to start meeting Medicare’s chronic care management program requirements within the next six months, according to a survey by Kryptik, a software company focusing on population health management.

On January 1 of this year the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began reimbursing providers who actively manage care delivery to Medicare patients with two or more chronic conditions, providing they obtain patient consent, deliver five core care management services, and provide at least 20 minutes of non-face time care outside of the office.

Kryptik conducted the survey during a webinar it conducted in January and included nearly 200 attendees from independent practices, integrated delivery systems and clinically integrated network organizations throughout the U.S.

According to the survey results, 76 percent of providers will “organize and structure” to meet the requirements of the chronic care management program within six months. That number increases to 92 percent if the time frame is extended to 12 months.

Despite the fact that many of the survey respondents plan to pursue the program, there are concerns about the resources they will have to dedicate to the process. According to the survey, 43 percent of respondents don’t believe they currently have the staff or resources to effectively implement the program. In addition, 26 percent are currently dealing with competing health IT initiatives, and 15 percent are concerned they don’t have the necessary technologies in place.