The American Academy of Sleep Medicine submitted a draft proposal for an integrated delivery model for sleep medicine to the Centers for

Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

In the document to CMS, the AASM requests that the agency:
• Open the application process for approval of the Academy as a CMS deemed authority for durable medical equipment (DME) supplier accreditation,
• Provide a carve-out to allow integrated delivery model test locations to provide diagnostic and therapeutic services to sleep apnea patients,
• Create a carve-out for independent diagnostic testing facility (IDTF) integrated delivery model test locations to be permitted to treat patients and provide DME.

The AASM is requesting that 1% to 2% of accredited AASM sleep centers be included in testing the delivery model. According to the proposal, that would be 25 to 50 centers. For centers that participate, the AASM has also requested a financial incentive.

“The AASM Board of Directors strongly feels that the future of sleep medicine lies in an integrated delivery model that allows the sleep specialist to be actively involved in the care of the patient beyond diagnostic testing to include treatment and long-term follow-up,” a letter from AASM President Nancy Collop to Academy members stated. “It is the opinion of AASM leadership that an integrated delivery model will result in improved patient outcomes and, hopefully, overall cost savings in the treatment of sleep disorders.”

The letter notes that the proposal is a draft and is likely to change as the AASM discusses it with CMS.