Healthcare is personal, and the experience with the health care system is different for each individual.  An individual’s experience of the health care system is influenced by his or her personal preferences and values, family situation, cultural traditions, and lifestyle. 

People with Medicare have the right to quality health care. CMS protects Medicare beneficiaries through the work of Medicare Quality Innovation Network/Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs), which work directly with healthcare providers to improve the care they deliver. Livanta, LLC, the Area 1 BFCC-QIO, provides direct assistance to Medicare beneficiaries when they have concerns about medical quality or believe healthcare services are being discontinued too soon.

Working to improve the lives of Medicare beneficiaries:

Livanta

• Reviews the quality of care covered by Medicare;
• Performs QIO review of appeals of certain provider notices about discharge or discontinuation of services;
• Review potential cases of patient “dumping”;

VIMI

• Implements quality improvement activities to address concerns identified in the course of medical record review.

As these activities are carried out, work is done to assure proper care guidelines are followed in all cases. Sometimes this requires us to coordinate with groups such as the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights. For instance, work with this group is carried out when compromise of care suspected or care is denied because of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age.

In addition, a beneficiary helpline is is available and provides callers with information concerning Medicare beneficiary rights and responsibilities, beneficiary protections, and the various programs and initiatives. Helplines are staffed during normal business hours and record calls received at other times. If you or someone you know has a concern about the quality of care received under Medicare, please call Livanta LLC the Area 1  BFCC-QIO at 1-866-815-5440.