Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act

The Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act (HR 6732) establishes new rules for how the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMI) tests healthcare payment and service delivery models. It limits Phase 1 model testing to 5 years and 500,000 beneficiaries or 10% of applicable individuals, caps new Phase 1 models at six per fiscal year, and requires continuous monitoring of impacts on beneficiaries' access to care and health outcomes. The bill mandates public input through 45-day comment periods before model implementation, hardship waivers for providers facing economic challenges, and special consideration for rural and underserved populations. These provisions aim to balance healthcare innovation with patient protection by requiring ongoing evaluation of models' effects on quality of care, health disparities, and access to services.