Building Medicares Disparity Toolbox: A NASI Report Review

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Building Medicares Disparity Toolbox A NASI
Report Review

• Albert W. Morris, Jr., M.D
• President
• National Medical Association

Friday, October 6, 2006 National Center for
Primary Care Morehouse School of
Medicine Atlanta, Georgia
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The NASI Panels Proposed Tool Box

• Improve Quality of Care
• Improve Access to Care
• Increase Diversity and Cultural Competence
• Hold individuals and institutions accountable
• Improve CMS structure, prioritization, and
  enforcement

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Improve Quality of Care

• Increase focus on reducing disparities
• Strengthen provider capacity to reduce
  disparities
• Ensure quality incentives do not exacerbate
  disparities
• Ensure access to primary care providers

4
Improve Access to Care

• Maximize enrollment in existing supplemental
  programs
• Set enticing deductibles and co-payments
• Improve minority access to providers
• Educate beneficiaries and family members

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Increase Diversity and Cultural Competence

• Increase the proportion of minority professionals
  at all levels
• Promote and enhance cultural competence training
• Ensure that all training promotes disparity
  reductions

6
Hold Individuals and Institutions Accountable

• Collect data for analysis and monitoring
• Use the accreditation lever
• Ensure compliance with LEP and CLAS standards

7
Improve CMS Structure, Prioritization, and
Enforcement

• Establish CMS performance goals for disparity
  reduction
• Strengthen CMS organizational structure/enforcemen
  t capacity
• Address disparities as a civil rights compliance
  issue

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Medicare as Model Agency
Medicare is obligated to take the lead in
reducing disparitiesboth for its beneficiaries
and throughout the system.