Late Tuesday, CMS released a call for participation in the new Independence at Home Demonstration through the Affordable Cara Act. This new Demonstration will provide chronically ill patients with a complete range of primary care services by partnering with medical practices to develop effective models. The goal is to develop in-home care for Medicare patients that is both comprehensive and cost effective. Health care providers will be rewarded for their efforts if their programs prove to provide high-quality care while reducing costs.

To be eligible to participate in the Demonstration, medical practices must include physicians or nurse practitioners who have experience delivering home-based primary care and serve at least 200 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions and functional limitations. No more than 50 practices will be selected to participate; applications are due February 6, 2012.

Click here to read more about the new Independence at Home Demonstration and to learn how to apply.