VBID: Innovating to Meet Person-Centered Needs
Through the Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model, CMS is testing a broad array of complementary MA health plan innovations designed to reduce Medicare program expenditures, enhance the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries, including those with low incomes such as dual-eligibles, and improve the coordination and efficiency of health care service delivery. Overall, the VBID Model contributes to the modernization of MA and tests whether these model components improve health outcomes and lower costs for MA enrollees.
For plan year 2024, the VBID Model has 69 participating Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) with a total of 12.4 million enrollees projected to be enrolled in participating plan benefit packages (PBPs). Over 8.7 million of these enrollees are projected to be offered additional Model benefits and/or rewards and incentives as part of the Model test in 2024.
- Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC
- AllCare Health, Inc.
- AlohaCare
- Athena Healthcare Holdings, LLC
- Banner Health
- Baylor Scott & White Holdings
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
- BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
- Bright Health Group, Inc.
- Cambia Health Solutions, Inc.*
- CareOregon, Inc.
- CareSource
- Centene Corporation
- Chinese Hospital Association
- Clever Care Health Plan, Inc.
- Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc.
- Community Health Group
- Community Health Plan of Washington
- Corewell Health
- CVS Health Corporation*
- Denver Health and Hospital Authority
- Devoted Health, Inc.
- DOCTORS HEALTHCARE PLANS, INC.
- El Paso County Hospital District
- Elevance Health, Inc.
- EmblemHealth, Inc.
- First Sacramento Capital Funding LLC*
- Geisinger Health
- Guidewell Mutual Holding Corporation*
- Hawaii Medical Service Association*
- Healthfirst, Inc.
- HealthPartners, Inc.
- Henry Ford Health System
- Highmark Health*
- Humana Inc.*
- Independence Health Group, Inc.
- INLAND EMPIRE HEALTH PLAN
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.*
- Leon Health Holdings, LLC
- Local Initiative Health Authority for LA County
- Louisiana Health Service & Indemnity Company*
- Marquis Companies I, Inc.*
- McLaren Health Care Corporation
- Medica Holding Company
- MHH Healthcare, L.P.
- Molina Healthcare, Inc.,
- MVP Health Care, Inc.
- New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
- Orange County Health Authority
- Point32Health, Inc.
- Providence St Joseph Health
- SANTA CLARA COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITY
- SCAN Group*
- Sentara Health Care (SHC)*
- The Cigna Group
- The Health Plan of West Virginia, Inc.
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Triton Health Systems, L.L.C.
- Troy Holdings, Inc.
- Ultimate Healthcare Holdings, LLC
- UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
- Universal Health Services, Inc.
- UPMC Health System
- Visiting Nurse Service of New York*
- Zing Health Consolidator, Inc
*Indicates participation in the Hospice Benefit Component of the VBID Model for Calendar Year 2024
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Background
MA plans offer Medicare beneficiaries an alternative to Original Medicare, also referred to as “Fee-for-Service.” In addition to covering all Medicare services, some MA plans also offer Medicare beneficiaries extra coverage through supplemental benefits, such as vision, hearing, and dental services. Additionally, some MA Plans also offer prescription drug coverage (Part D) as part of their plan.
MA plans can charge different out-of-pocket costs for certain services within guidelines defined by Medicare. VBID generally refers to health insurers’ efforts to structure cost-sharing and other health plan design elements to encourage enrollees to use the services that can benefit them the most.
Additionally, currently, Medicare Beneficiaries may enroll into MA and have access to all original Medicare benefits plus additional supplemental benefits beyond what original Medicare covers. Historically, when an MA enrollee elects hospice, Fee-For-Service (FFS) Medicare becomes responsible for most services while the MA organization retains responsibility for certain services (e.g., supplemental benefits). This hospice “carve-out” from MA results in a convoluted set of coverage rules for MA enrollees who elect hospice and fragments accountability for care and financial responsibility across the care continuum.
Initiative Details
The VBID Model tests a broad array of MA service delivery and/or payment approaches and contributes to the modernization of MA through increasing choice, lowering cost, and improving the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries.
The VBID Model allows MAOs to further target benefit design to enrollees based on chronic condition and/or socioeconomic characteristics (as defined as being eligible for the Low Income Subsidy (LIS) or, in US territories, being dually eligible) and/or incentivize the use of Part D prescription drug benefits through rewards and incentives. MAOs may also offer the Medicare hospice benefit to its enrollees (as described below) as part of the VBID Model. Additionally, the VBID model requires that all participating plans engage their enrollees through structured and timely wellness and health care planning, including advanced care planning.
In Calendar Year (CY) 2024, the VBID Model will test the following Model Components. All participating MAOs must participate in the mandatory Wellness and Health Care Planning component of the VBID Model in 2024. Participating MAOs may also test one or more of the other interventions in CY 2024.
- Wellness and Health Care Planning (WHP)
- VBID Flexibilities, for Model PBPs’ select enrollees targeted by condition, socioeconomic status or a combination of both, for offering:
- Primarily and non-primarily health related supplemental benefits, which may include new and existing technologies or FDA-approved medical devices as a mandatory supplemental benefit
- Use of high-value providers and/or participation in care management program(s)/ disease state management program(s)
- Reductions in cost-sharing for Part C items and services and covered Part D drugs
- Part C and Part D Rewards and Incentives (RI) Programs
- Hospice Benefit Component
For more details on these Model Components please see the links to the VBID and VBID Hospice Benefit Components Requests for Applications (RFA) below.
Hospice Benefit Component
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced in January 2019 that beginning in CY 2021, through the VBID Model, participating MAOs could include the Medicare hospice benefit in their Part A benefits package.
Under the Model in CY 2024, thirteen MAOs, through 78 PBPs, will participate in the Hospice Benefit Component of the VBID Model. These PBPs will test the Hospice Benefit Component in service areas that cover 609 counties.
A downloadable list of PBPs with service area and contact information can be found here: VBID CY2024 Hospice Benefit Contact Information (XLS)
By including the Medicare hospice benefit in the MA benefits package, CMS will test the impact on service delivery and quality of MA plans providing all original Parts A and B Medicare items and services required by statute. Additionally, CMS is testing how the hospice benefit component can improve beneficiary care through greater care coordination, reduced fragmentation, and transparency in line with recommendations by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and others. CMS will require that MAOs provide beneficiaries with broad access to the complete original Medicare hospice benefit. MAOs participating in the hospice benefit component will be required to outline how they will provide palliative care to eligible enrollees, irrespective of the election of hospice, and may make transitional, concurrent care services as well as hospice-specific supplemental benefits available to enrollees who elect hospice through network hospice providers.
For technical and operational guidance, please reference the Hospice Benefit Component Technical and Operational Guidance. Visit the Hospice Benefit Component overview page for further information.
Information for Interested Parties
If you are interested in receiving CMS Innovation Center updates, including about the VBID Model, subscribe to the CMS Innovation Center listserv.
For any questions, please email the VBID Model team at VBID@cms.hhs.gov.
CY 2025 Materials
CY 2024 Materials
- CY 2024 VBID Model and Hospice Benefit Component Model Participant Announcement - September 2023
- CY 2024 Hospice Benefit Component Model Participant Service Area and Contact Information (XLS) - September 2023
- CY 2024 VBID Model Monitoring Guidelines (PDF) forthcoming
- CY 2024 Hospice Benefit Component Minimum Number of Provider (MNP) Data Book (XLSX) forthcoming
- CY 2024 VBID Communications and Marketing Guidelines (PDF) | Guide to Developing a Language Access Plan (PDF)
- Request for Applications - VBID Model (PDF)
- Request for Applications - VBID Model Hospice Benefit Component (PDF)
- CY 2024 VBID Model Application Link: https://cms.gov1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bPfQv4r0aWwRlKC
- CY 2024 Application VBID Model Application Materials (ZIP) - Please download this ZIP file, fill and complete the applicable materials, in addition to completing the application. This ZIP file was last updated March 15, 2023 to include the Financial Application FAQs document.
- CY 2024 Final Hospice Capitation Payment Rate Actuarial Methodology (PDF)
- CY 2024 Final Hospice Capitation Payment Ratebook (XLS)
- CY 2024 Final Hospice Benefit Component Data Book for Year-1 Rates (XLS)
- CY 2024 Final Hospice Benefit Component Data Book for Mature-Year Rates (XLS)
- CY 2024 Preliminary Hospice Capitation Payment Rate Actuarial Methodology (PDF)
- CY 2024 VBID Hospice Benefit Component Phase 2 Network Adequacy Guidance (PDF)
- CY 2024 VBID Model Fact Sheet (PDF)
CY 2023 Materials
- CY 2023 WHP Reporting Tool (forthcoming)
- CY 2023 VBID Model and Hospice Benefit Component Model Participant Announcement - September 2022
- CY 2023 Hospice Benefit Component Model Participant Service Area and Contact Information (XLS) - September 2022
- Addressing Equity and Barriers to Housing Stability and Quality Use Case Technical Assistance Document (PDF)
- Addressing Food and Nutritional Insecurity Use Case Technical Assistance Document (PDF)
- Addressing Transportation Barriers Use Case Technical Assistance Document (PDF)
- CY 2023 VBID Hospice Benefit Component Monitoring Guidelines (PDF) - October 3, 2022
- CY 2023 VBID Model Monitoring Guidelines (ZIP) - February 23, 2023
- Request for Applications - VBID Model (PDF)
- Request for Applications - VBID Model Hospice Benefit Component (PDF)
- CY 2023 VBID Model Fact Sheet (PDF)
- VBID Model Application Link: https://cms.gov1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_etFZ2SQSOxVzCzY
- Additional VBID Model Application Materials (ZIP) - Please download this ZIP file, fill and complete the applicable materials, in addition to completing the application
- CY 2023 Final Hospice Capitation Payment Rate Actuarial Methodology (PDF)
- CY 2023 Final Hospice Capitation Payment Ratebook (XLS)
- CY 2023 Final Hospice Benefit Component Data Book for Year-1 Rates (XLS)
- CY 2023 Final Hospice Benefit Component Data Book for Mature-Year Rates (XLS)
- CY 2023 VBID Model Hospice Benefit Component Phase 2 Network Adequacy Guidance (PDF)
- CY 2023 VBID Hospice Benefit Component Minimum Number of Provider (MNP) Data Book (XLSX)
- CY 2023 Preliminary Hospice Capitation Payment Rate Actuarial Methodology Paper (PDF)
- CY 2023 VBID Communications and Marketing Guidelines (PDF) - May 27, 2022
Additional Information
The separate, OIG-issued, fraud and abuse waivers applicable to Medicare Advantage Organizations in the VBID Model are available at https://www.cms.gov/medicare/physician-self-referral/fraud-and-abuse-waivers.
CMMI has released a memorandum providing guidance on Model treatment of reductions in Part D cost-sharing. CMMI released an additional memorandum on December 1, 2022, providing further guidance and examples regarding the reporting of VBID Model benefits in the Prescription Drug Event (PDE) data. Please be aware that the CY 2024 PDE reporting guidance that CMS released as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) should be referenced in conjunction with the prior VBID PDE reporting guidance. For example, Example 6 in the December 1, 2022, VBID PDE Reporting Guidance is no longer relevant for 2024 and beyond due to the removal of beneficiary cost-sharing in the catastrophic phase.
Webinars
CY 2023 Webinars & Recordings
- Office Hours: CY 2024 VBID Model and Application Process (Tuesday, April 11, 2023)
- Slides (PDF)
- Transcript (Forthcoming)
- Recording (MP4)
- Webinar: Overview of the CY 2024 VBID Model and Application Process (Thursday, February 23, 2023)
- Slides (PDF)
- Transcript (Forthcoming)
- Recording (MP4)
- Webinar: VBID Model Health Equity Incubation Program - Leveraging VBID Flexibilities to Improve Equity in Housing Stability and Quality (Thursday December 8, 2022)
- Webinar: VBID Model Hospice Benefit Component - Provider (Thursday, December 1, 2022)
- Webinar: VBID Model Health Equity Incubation Program - Leveraging VBID to Improve Equity in Transportation Access (Thursday, September 15, 2022)
- Webinar: VBID Health Equity Incubation Program Webinar: Advancing Health Equity in Diabetes Care and Outcomes (Thursday, June 30, 2022)
- Slides (PDF)
- Transcript (PDF)
- View or download the Recording (MP4) | Password: UfSx3sjm
- Office Hours: 2023 Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model and its Hospice Benefit Component (Tuesday, April 5, 2022)
- Webinar: VBID Model - Health Equity Incubation Program - Addressing Food and Nutritional Insecurity (Thursday, March 31, 2022)
- Webinar: Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model - Hospice Benefit Component Overview (Thursday, March 10, 2022)
- Webinar: VBID Health Equity Business Case for MAOs (Thursday, December 2, 2021)
- Webinar: Value-Based Insurance Design, Opportunities to Improve Medication Adherence for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (Thursday, October 21, 2021)
- Webinar: Unleashing the Capabilities of MAOs to Deliver Health Innovation for Older Adults in Underserved Settings (Thursday, October 7, 2021)
Evaluation Reports
Latest Evaluation Reports
- Two Pager: At-A-Glance Report (PDF) | Hospice At-A-Glance Report (PDF)
Prior Evaluation Reports
- Two Pager: At-A-Glance Report (PDF)
- Two Pager: At-A-Glance Report (PDF)
- Two Pager: At-A-Glance Report (PDF)