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PCP enrollment for CPC plus postponed to August
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CMS has pushed back the enrollment period for PCPs interested in participating in its new Comprehensive Primary Care Plus payment and care delivery model, with practices now able to apply starting on Aug. 1.
CMS had initially planned to accept applications from practices from July 15 through Sept. 1. However, those dates were updated on CMS’ website on July 14. The new enrollment period will run through Sept. 15.
The pushback follows a previous announcement that CMS would extend the deadline for payer proposals from June 1 to June 8. CMS plans to announce 20 regions in which it will introduce the program by the end of July. Regions will be selected based on payer interest.
CMS still anticipates the new initiative to begin on time, starting on Jan. 1, 2017.
Comprehensive Primary Care Plus, also known as CPC+, is the new medical home model designed to reform the way primary care is delivered and paid for in select regions across the United States. According to CMS, it will be available to approximately 5,000 practices across the selected regions.
CPC+ creates a two-track system for payments. Track 1 would see CMS pay primary care practices receive a monthly care management fee in addition to the fee-for-service payments under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Under Track 2, practices would receive the monthly care management fee, and a hybrid of reduced Medicare fee-for-service payments and upfront comprehensive primary care payments.
Under both tracks of the new model, primary care practices would be required to:
- support patients with serious or chronic diseases in achieving their health goals;
- grant 24-hour access to care and health information for patients;
- provide preventive care;
- engage patients and their families in their own care; and
- collaborate with hospitals and specialists to better coordinate care.
Practices in Track 2, in addition to the above, would also be required to deliver more comprehensive services for patients with complex medical and behavioral health needs, including an assessment of their psychosocial needs and an inventory or resources to support those needs.
Physicians opting for either track will be required to make several changes and updates to their practices in order to stay eligible.
CPC+ is an expansion of CMS’ Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative, which is scheduled to terminate at the end of 2016. CPC in 2012 saw a rollout in 500 practices in just seven markets in the United States. According to CMS, the expanded model is will run for 5 years. – by Jason Laday