CMMI Issues Flexibilities for Alternative Payment Models, including ACOs, SIP

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has today issued a number of flexibilities for participating providers in their models. The flexibilities cover financial calculations and quality reporting, and also adjust timelines. The new Primary Care First Serious Illness Population alternative payment model, which was scheduled to begin enrolling patients on January 1, 2021 has been pushed back to start April 1, 2021. In addition, Oncology Car Model participants can elect to forgo upside/downside risk for reporting periods impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency, and Independence at Home model participants can utilize telehealth to satisfy quality requirements. There is no public information yet on any timeline changes for the Medicare Advantage hospice benefit carve-in model.

Read a summary of the flexibilities and an accompanying Health Affairs Blog from Seema Verma, CMS Administrator.