CMS data: COVID-19 hospitalization rates higher for black beneficiaries

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) called for a renewed national commitment to value-based care after Medicare claims data related to COVID-19 confirmed disparities in health outcomes for individuals in racial and ethnic minority groups. The data also showed disparities related to socioeconomic status, but most striking, the snapshot indicated black Medicare beneficiaries were hospitalized with COVID-19 at nearly four times the rate of white beneficiaries. In response, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said, “The transition to a value-based system has never been so urgent. When implemented effectively, it encourages clinicians to care for the whole person and address the social risk factors that are so critical for our beneficiaries’ quality of life.” (CMS news release, 6/22/20)