What is a CMS Innovation Center?

The CMS Innovation Center, formally known as the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), is an integral part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), focusing specifically on the development and evaluation of novel payment models and service delivery strategies. Its primary mission is to test innovative approaches to healthcare delivery and payment that aim to improve patient care while reducing costs.

By experimenting with different models, the Innovation Center seeks to identify effective methods of providing healthcare that can be expanded and implemented on a wider scale. This may include initiatives such as bundled payments, accountable care organizations, or other novel strategies that aim to enhance the efficiency and quality of healthcare services for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

This role distinguishes the Innovation Center from other entities that manage funding, develop medical technologies, or conduct healthcare costs research, as it is specifically focused on testing and evaluating new approaches to healthcare delivery and financing. The successful models developed through the Innovation Center's initiatives have the potential to influence policy and shape the future of healthcare in the United States.