With Equality Health Direct, your providers share goals to improve your health and well-being. If your provider is a part of Equality Health Direct, you can voluntarily align with our model to help coordinate your care.
Voluntary Alignment is a process to select and report, to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), who your primary healthcare provider is. You can log into Medicare.gov to confirm that your primary care practice is your main provider or the main place you go for routine care and to help determine if Equality Health Direct can help coordinate your care.
Routine care can include regular visits and check-ups you receive from a doctor or other healthcare professional and care for other chronic health problems, such as asthma, diabetes, and hypertension.
Voluntary Alignment will not change your benefits, and you can visit any doctor, other health care professional, or hospital.
You remain eligible to receive the same Medicare benefits and you still have the right to use any doctor, other health care professional, or hospital that accepts Medicare, at any time. If you have questions or feel pressured to select a provider online, feel free to ask your doctor or other health care professional, call Equality Health Direct at 1-888-696-1122 or call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to ask about ACOs. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
Want to know more? Find answers to common questions here, or reach out to us.
Medicare beneficiaries receive care from their usual primary care provider. Equality Health Direct provides access to specialists and ancillary services that support primary care providers.
Patients may choose to see specialists and use ancillary services to meet their healthcare needs and do not have to see providers participating in Equality Health Direct.
Equality Health Direct also offers the services of our skilled and compassionate care team, which includes bilingual nurse practitioners, community health workers, chaplains, and care specialists
Medicare beneficiaries benefit from having their primary care provider participate in Equality Health Direct because they retain the ability to choose specialists and ancillary services as part of their care plan. Patients also benefit from improved collaboration and care through an integrated care team provided by Equality Health.
If you wish to know more about CMS’ ACO REACH model, go to https://innovation.cms.gov/innovation-models/aco-reach.