CMS Innovation Center Launches ACA Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative - October 4, 2011

On Sept. 28, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (or “Innovation Center”) released a request for applications for its Comprehensive Primary Care initiative. This initiative, authorized by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will allow Medicare to partner with public and private insurers in five to seven markets to increase Medicare payments to primary care providers who adopt a coordinated care model. Providers will be paid on average an extra $20 per month per Medicare beneficiary in the first 2 years of the partnership. These payments will be discretionary and can be used to build the infrastructure needed for coordinated care. After a year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin evaluating providers based on quality of care, and providers will be able to share in any cost savings produced by the initiative. Public and private health care payers interested in applying to the Innovation Center initiative must submit a nonbinding letter of intent by Nov. 15, 2011, and a final application by Jan. 17, 2012.