How will CMS evaluate proposal submissions?
Proposals should include whole-person care, including functional or lifestyle services not already covered by Original Medicare but with documented scientific evidence of the intervention’s safety, efficacy and cost impact for the target population. Each proposal must include a nutrition or physical activity component. Applicants should also provide data showing outcomes from their own program implementation prior to applying. Applicants must demonstrate past experience with data collection or the ability to accurately collect and report all required data from beneficiary enrollees in a timely manner, with appropriate data protections in place for beneficiaries and an understanding of how to store and analyze data with model goals in mind.
Can organizations submit multiple applications?
Yes. While CMS aims to fund a wide range of applicants for comprehensive testing, individual organizations may submit multiple proposals and receive multiple awards; however, each proposed intervention must be substantially distinct. CMS may ask single applicant organizations to combine related proposals into a single, comprehensive proposal.
Will receiving services from a MAHA ELEVATE recipient change Original Medicare coverage or costs?
No, receiving functional or lifestyle medicine services from MAHA ELEVATE recipients does not change Medicare benefits, coverage or rights. Patients keep all standard Medicare protections and can continue to see any Original Medicare provider. Further, these interventions are designed to complement or augment, but not replace, traditional medical care.
How does MAHA ELEVATE support patient safety?
MAHA ELEVATE embeds strong safeguards to support beneficiary safety and choice, beginning with the application process. Proposals including interventions with evidence of, or substantial risk of, harm will be excluded. CMS will monitor recipient programs for patient safety concerns and may disenroll recipients who fail to meet quality or safety standards. Additional details regarding patient safety requirements will be available in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
How will CMS protect my personal health information?
MAHA ELEVATE recipients must comply with all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy and security requirements. CMS follows strict federal standards to protect beneficiary information used for care coordination, reporting, and evaluation.
What can the cooperative agreement funding be used for?
MAHA ELEVATE cooperative agreement funding can be used to cover whole-person care services, including functional or lifestyle medicine, that Original Medicare doesn’t cover. It can only be used for Original Medicare patients. It can also be used to cover costs for administration and data collection and reporting. It cannot be used to cover food or for services that can be billed to Original Medicare. Additional details about allowable and unallowable costs will be provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.