CMS Launches Digital Medicare Platform, Streamlines Resources

Care Compare, a redesign of eight existing health care tools and platforms, was launched by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) this week in an effort to improve patient access to information and streamline health care service comparisons.

“Care Compare provides a single user-friendly interface that patients and caregivers can use to make informed decisions about healthcare based on cost, quality of care, volume of services, and other data,” explained CMS in a press release. “With just one click, patients can find information that is easy to understand about doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care services instead of searching through multiple tools.”

This new platform builds on the CMS eMedicare initiative that launched in 2018. CMS explained the user-friendly interface includes a simple design that should make it easier than ever for patients to navigate. In addition to the simplified interface, the platform comprises data from CMS’ existing resources: Hospital Compare, Nursing Home Compare, and Home Health Compare, among others.

“By aggregating all eight of CMS’ quality tools into a single interface, patients can easily research different providers and facilities before they entrust themselves to their care,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma.

The Care Compare platform will provide patients improved insight into costs via a new Procedure Price Look Up tool that includes physician and facility fees, painting a more accurate picture of final out-of-pocket costs for patients.

This platform will also include a Provider Data Catalog which will make quality data sets available through an application programming interface. Stakeholders will have easier access to publicly reported CMS data and in turn can use the information to improve patient care.

—Edan Stanley

Reference:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS Care Compare Empowers Patients when Making Important Health Care Decisions [press release]. CMS.gov. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-care-compare-empowers-patients-when-making-important-health-care-decisions. Published September 3, 2020.