CMS announces new primary care medical home model

Public and private payers can apply through June 1 to participate in a new medical home model that will build on the Comprehensive Primary Care model to help practices support patients with serious or chronic diseases, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today. Under the CPC Plus model, CMS will partner with commercial insurers and state Medicaid agencies in up to 20 regions to provide monthly care management fees based on beneficiary risk tiers. Beginning July 15, CMS will solicit applications from primary care practices in the selected regions to participate in one of two tracks. Track 1 practices will continue to receive Medicare fee-for-service payments, while Track 2 practices will receive a mixture of up-front CPC payment and reduced Medicare fee-for-service payment. Track 2 practices must provide more comprehensive services for patients with complex medical and behavioral health needs and obtain a commitment from their health information technology vendors to support related health IT capabilities. Both tracks also will be eligible for performance-based incentive payments. CMS will host informational webinars on the models April 14 and 19 at 3 p.m. ET. For more on the five-year project, see the CMS factsheet.