CCM

Chronic Care Management (CCM) is defined as the non-face-to-face services provided to Medicare beneficiaries who have multiple (two or more), significant chronic conditions. In addition to office visits and other face-to-face encounters, these services include communication with the patient and other treating health professionals for care coordination (both electronically and by phone), medication management, and being accessible 24 hours a day to patients and any care providers (physicians or other clinical staff)

The features and benefits of CCM:

• Chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, mental health, congestive heart failure and COPD are among the most common and treatable health care problems in the US.
• Effective chronic care management, facilitated through non-face to face CCM services, reduces the costs of care for chronic disease patients while improving overall health.
• CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services )has recognized the importance of CCM services and is promoting it for eligible patients.
• Medicare beneficiaries that have two or more chronic conditions can be provided with CCM services.
• CMS has allowed clinical practitioners to bill for 20 minutes or more of CCM care provided to eligible CMS beneficiaries.
• Studies have shown that CCM programs help reduce annual healthcare expenses by reducing unnecessary hospital or emergency room visits and by helping find less expensive medication and treatment options among other things.