As part of the agency-wide shift from fee-for-service to value-based payment models, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services now is soliciting physician practices in 14 parts of the country to participate in a wide-scale medical home model that will reward doctors for outcomes. Monday, CMS opened the application period for the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus program and is taking applications through Sept. 15.
CMS unveiled CPC+ in April as an extension of Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative that began in October 2012 and is scheduled to expire at the end of 2016. CPC+, hatched in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, will start in January, as CMS continues on a path to have at least half of traditional Medicare fee-for-service payments converted to alternative payment models by 2018.
CPC+ aims to help primary care practices coordinate care, offer preventive health services, engage patients in their own care and help those with serious or chronic illnesses set and work toward health goals. Practices also will be expected to provide patients with on-demand, 24/7 access to their health information, according to CMS.
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