CMS announces regions for round 2 of CPC+ initiative

CMS recently announced that Louisiana, Nebraska, and North Dakota, as well as Erie and Niagara counties in New York are the participating regions for round 2 of its Comprehensive Primary Care Plus initiative.

Practices in those areas that specialize in family medicine, internal medicine and geriatric medicine are eligible to apply for participating in one or two tracks of the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) program between now and July 13, according to CMS and AAFP.

“Strengthening primary care is critical to promoting high quality, patient-centered care, and reducing overall health care costs in the U.S. The CPC+ model is an advanced primary care medical home model that rewards value and quality by offering an innovative payment structure to support primary care practices to improve quality, access, and efficiency,” CMS stated on its website.

The agency has previously stated that CPC+ is also designed to help practices “move away from one-size-fits-all, fee-for-service” care, and would allow physicians the freedom to deliver the care that best meets the needs of their patients.

According to CMS’ website, practices that apply can choose either Track 1 — which is geared towards practices that have the health information technology and other basic infrastructure needed to deliver comprehensive primary care — or Track 2 — which is geared towards practices proficient in comprehensive primary care that are prepared to increase the scope, breadth and depth of medical care delivered to their patients, especially those with complex needs.

Regardless of the track chosen, CMS’s website further states, practices are “required to deliver more patient-centered care” steered by what the agency called Comprehensive Primary Care Functions: population health; patient and caregiver engagement; planned care and population health; comprehensiveness and coordination; care management; and access and continuity.

CMS stated it expects to select up to 1,000 practices across the new round 2 regions.

CPC+ round 1 began earlier this year in 2,891 practices across 14 regions, according to the release. Regions are selected based on payer alignment and market density to ensure that CPC+ practices have sufficient payer supports to make fundamental changes in their primary care delivery.

Additional Resources:

Comprehensive Primary Care Plus Model Application Login

AAFP's FAQ on the CPC+ Initiative

Disclosure: Healio Family Medicine was unable to determine relevant financial disclosures prior to publication.