Contessa Selected by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to Test Medicare Dementia Care Model

Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model Aims to Increase Care Coordination, Support for Caregivers

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Contessa Health, a subsidiary of Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED), announced they have been selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in a new Medicare alternative payment model designed to support people living with dementia and their caregivers. Under CMS’ Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, Contessa will be one of almost 400 participants building Dementia Care Programs (DCPs) across the country, working to increase care coordination and improve access to services and supports, including respite care, for people living with dementia and their caregivers.  

“CMS is excited to partner with Contessa under the GUIDE Model,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “GUIDE is a new approach to how Medicare will pay for the care of people living with dementia. The GUIDE participants are envisioning new ways to support not only people living with dementia, but also to reduce strain on the people who care for them, so that more Americans can remain in their homes and communities, rather than in institutions.”

Launched on July 1, 2024, the GUIDE Model will test a new payment approach for key supportive services furnished to people living with dementia, including: comprehensive, person-centered assessments and care plans; care coordination; 24/7 access to an interdisciplinary care team member or help line; and certain respite services to support caregivers. People with dementia and their caregivers will have the assistance and support of a Care Navigator to help them access clinical and non-clinical services such as meals and transportation through community-based organizations.  

“Our team of nurse practitioners, nurses, and social workers have tremendous experience in helping patients and caregivers navigate through the complex world of healthcare. Through the GUIDE Model, we are able to apply this clinical model for dementia patients and their caregivers to allow this vulnerable population to be able to live at home longer and achieve a better quality of life,” said Gavin Baumgardner, DO, MHA, Contessa’s Vice President and National Medical Director of Palliative Care at Home.

Contessa’s participation in the GUIDE Model will help people living with dementia and their caregivers have access to education and support, such as training programs on best practices for caring for a loved one living with dementia. The GUIDE Model also provides respite services for certain people, enabling caregivers to take temporary breaks from their caregiving responsibilities. Respite is being tested under the GUIDE Model to assess its effect on helping caregivers continue to care for their loved ones at home, preventing or delaying the need for facility care.

GUIDE Participants represent a wide range of health care providers, including large academic medical centers, small group practices, community-based organizations, health systems, hospice agencies, and other practices.

This model delivers on a promise in the Biden Administration’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers and aligns with the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease. For more information on CMS’ GUIDE Model, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/guide. 

About Contessa Health:
Contessa, an Amedisys company, delivers comprehensive care at home. An industry pioneer since 2015, Contessa provides a coordinated suite of services including Recovery Care at Home, in lieu of being admitted to a hospital, Rehabilitation Care at Home, in lieu of being admitted to a skilled nursing facility, and Palliative Care at Home. Combining all the essential elements of an inpatient hospital or rehabilitation stay into the comfort of patients’ homes, Contessa allows partners to reimagine care delivery. Contessa utilizes Care Convergence™, a proprietary technology platform, to power a seamless solution that is safe, affordable and improves patient outcomes. Based in Nashville, the company currently partners with 11 health systems and multiple health plans serving patients in nine states. Contessa has the ability to serve more patients in a full care continuum, from primary care to end-of-life, all in the comfort of home. For more information, visit contessahealth.com or follow us at @contessahealth.  

About Amedisys:
Amedisys, Inc. is a leading healthcare at home company delivering personalized home health, hospice and high-acuity care services. Amedisys is focused on delivering the care that is best for our patients, whether that is inpatient hospital, palliative, and skilled nursing facility (“SNF”) care in their homes; home-based recovery and rehabilitation after an operation or injury; care focused on empowering them to manage a chronic disease; or hospice care at the end of life. Nearly 3,000 hospitals and more than 110,000 physicians nationwide have chosen Amedisys as a partner in post-acute care. Founded in 1982, headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA with an executive office in Nashville, TN, Amedisys is a publicly held company. With approximately 19,000 employees in 521 care centers in 37 states and the District of Columbia, Amedisys is dedicated to delivering the highest quality of care to the doorsteps of nearly 470,000 patients in need every year, performing more than 10.6 million visits annually. For more information about the Company, please visit: www.amedisys.com.