Team-Based Care

Over the past week, significant developments have emerged in the ongoing shift toward team-based care within the Medicare framework, driven by the introduction of the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) under CMS. This mandatory episode-based reimbursement model reintroduces bundled payment approaches, particularly affecting surgical episodes such as LEJR, SHFFT, and CABG, which are now facing a 2% discount and 1.5% discount respectively, prompting concern among hospitals regarding their readiness for the impending changes (RACmonitor). As leaders from CMS focus on streamlining care delivery through these bundled payment models, stakeholders are tasked with adapting rapidly to align their operational strategies with the evolving Medicare reimbursement landscape and ensure comprehensive care coordination and quality.