A recent study that examined CMS’ Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) Model, a bundled payment type that was implemented at participating hospitals to support Medicare beneficiaries who undergo hip, knee or total ankle replacements, found that the payment type mitigated decreasing home health utilization among participants. 
 
The study, published on Feb. 4 in the American Journal of Managed Care, aimed to identify whether CJR encouraged more efficient care coordination and increased home health care uptake for relevant patients. The researchers found that 79.17% of patients referred to home health care under the payment type utilized the services. While home health utilization followed the national trend of decreasing overall, participating hospitals saw a 4.5% lower rate of decrease than non-CJR hospitals used as a control group. 
 
CJR was launched as a five-year model in April 2016 and extended in 2021. It became mandatory the same year and concluded on Dec. 31, 2024.  
 
To view the study, visit https://bit.ly/4jU1SaB.