CMS Says Final Report on CJR Model Proves its Value

The final evaluation report for the CMS Innovation Center’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) Model said the model – which goes nationwide in 2028 and will be mandatory -- generated $180 million in Medicare savings while preserving care quality for lower extremity joint replacements.

This is important, CMS said, because joint replacements are some of the most common and expensive Medicare procedures, and fragmented post-acute care has historically driven up costs without delivering better outcomes for patients.

“CJR’s evaluation results prove that episode-based payment models can simultaneously lower costs and sustain quality, while advancing the Innovation Center’s strategy to scale effective models that empower people to achieve their health goals and deliver value for taxpayers,” CMS said.

The model also helped inform discharge destination decisions and increased focus on patient recovery.

“The model held hospitals accountable for surgical costs and the 90-day recovery period that followed to help spur a meaningful shift in how hospitals approach discharge planning. Lessons learned from CJR have been applied to the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) Model.

Comments or questions? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.