White Plains, N.Y.-based Collaborative Health Systems, a division of Universal American, is teaming up with Waltham, Mass.-based Fresenius Medical Care to provide integrated care for patients with renal disease in seven of CHS' Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs.
The partnership is modeled after Fresenius's existing programs for more than 10,000 end-stage renal disease patients and more than 5,000 chronic kidney disease patients across the U.S. Under the agreement with CHS, Fresenius will manage identification, staging and care coordination for patients with renal disease.
These patients often have multiple comorbidities and make up a large chunk of ACO spending. The collaboration will help rein in these costs of care and improve outcomes for renal disease patients.
"Not only do renal patients have complex needs, they are a difficult group to identify, making it challenging for providers in ACOs to coordinate their care. We look forward to working with Fresenius Medical Care as we discover new ways to improve the care quality of this important population," Jeff Spight, president of CHS, said in a press release.
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