CMS releases guide to preventing readmissions among racially and ethnically diverse beneficiaries

Health and Human Services

After a year-long process, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health on Tuesday released a new guide for hospitals and other stakeholders to help prevent readmissions among racially and ethnically diverse beneficiaries.

Racial and ethnic minority populations are more likely than their white counterparts to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge for certain chronic conditions, such as heart failure, heart attack, and pneumonia, CMS said its "Equity Plan for Improving Quality in Medicare."

Social, cultural, and linguistic barriers contribute to these higher readmission rates, according to the CMS Office of Minority Health, which was established as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

CMS provides action-oriented guidance to address avoidable readmissions by providing an overview of the issues; gives recommendations; and sets concrete examples of initiatives and strategies that may be applied to reduce readmissions in diverse populations.
 
This plan focuses on Medicare populations that experience disproportionately high burdens of disease, worse quality of care, and barriers to accessing care, CMS said.

It was developed with particular attention to disparities in chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. Chronic conditions pose a significant human and financial burden, are prevalent in the Medicare population, and are likely to co-occur, CMS said.

Further, these chronic diseases represent important areas of focus for Quality Improvement Networks and Quality Improvement Organizations; Hospital Engagement Networks; federal, state, local, and tribal organizations; providers; researchers; policymakers; beneficiaries and their families; and other stakeholders.

Areas of focus include the collection of standardized data; evaluating disparities; developing approaches to reduce those disparities; increasing the ability of the healthcare workforce to meet the needs of vulnerable populations; improving communication and language access; and increasing physical access to facilities.

"The United States has made progress towards improving healthcare quality, but well documented disparities persist for racial and ethnic minorities, and the health care system does not fully address the needs of sexual and gender minorities or persons with disabilities," CMS said in the report.

The CMS equity plan was developed in collaboration with the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

"CMS has an important opportunity and a critical role in preventing hospital readmissions while promoting health equity among diverse Medicare beneficiaries," said Cara James, director of CMS's Office of Minority Health. "This guide encourages action-oriented steps and solutions in achieving health equity, addresses reducing readmissions and focuses on our initiative of achieving better care, smarter spending, and healthier people throughout our healthcare system."