Press Release

Statement on CMS' New Bundled Payments for Cardiac Care and Hip Fractures Final Rule

Tom Nickels

American Hospital Association

Executive Vice President

Government Relations and Public Policy

CMS today finalized new and expanded mandatory bundled payment models in an effort to coordinate patient care across the health care continuum, something America’s hospitals are already doing to better serve patients and improve care quality. While we are pleased they made some improvement to the programs, such as flexibility on risk adjustment and MACRA participation, we remain very concerned about several key issues, particularly the pace of change.

The bundled payment model for cardiac care is the second mandatory demonstration project the agency has finalized in just the past 15 months. This is too much, too soon. Regrettably, at the same time, the agency finalized its plans to expand and further complicate its existing mandatory hip and knee bundled payment model less than a year after it began, and before fully evaluating its results.

While it is important to test new payment models, hospitals should not be forced to participate in complicated new programs if the government has not already proven that they will benefit the patients we serve. We will continue to urge that any new bundled payment programs be of a voluntary nature.

About the AHA

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.