By Virgil Dickson | June 29, 2018
The CMS wants to launch an
experiment that allows doctors in Medicare Advantage plans to qualify as
participating in an alternative pay model.
To comply with MACRA, clinicians have two tracks to choose from: MIPS, which requires clinicians to report and meet quality goals, and advanced alternative payment models, which require clinicians to take on financial risk as part of efforts to improve care and lower costs. If goals are met under an APM they're eligible for bonuses.
Clinicians in Medicare Advantage plans have urged the CMS to consider those plans as APMs since some are offering risk-based contracts.
The White House's Office of Management and Budget must approve any experiment. It is now collecting comments on documentation that providers will need to fill out before participating in the demonstration. Comments on these forms are due Sept. 3.
In order to get credit as participating in an APM, doctors must receive a certain amount of Medicare fee-for-service revenue, but that threshold is too high for some providers who may primarily see Medicare Advantage patients. For doctors in Advantage plans to get credit, a demonstration must be launched, according to the CMS. Otherwise, physicians are still subject to MIPS.
The CMS hopes to launch the five-year demonstration this year. The CMS will ask providers about the payment arrangements they have with Medicare Advantage plans and about the number of patients covered in such arrangements. That information will determine whether the payment arrangements meet the risk standards to count as an APM.
The American Medical Association, America's Essential Hospitals and the Medical Group Management Association urged the CMS to take this step in a joint letter sent last year.
"Leading-edge clinicians who take risk under APMs within these MA contracts will not get credit for their efforts," the letter said. "Our proposal would encourage broader participation in risk arrangements by clinicians from the start, creating synergies that will reinforce their population-based strategies and translate into higher quality and more efficient care within Medicare."
An AMA spokesman said it appreciates that HHS took its concerns into consideration and said the demonstration will especially benefit practices in communities where there is a disproportionately high number of Medicare Advantage patients.
Medicare Advantage enrollment is projected to grow by 9% to 20.4 million in 2018. The CMS estimated that more than one-third of all Medicare enrollees, or 34%, will be in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2018.
To comply with MACRA, clinicians have two tracks to choose from: MIPS, which requires clinicians to report and meet quality goals, and advanced alternative payment models, which require clinicians to take on financial risk as part of efforts to improve care and lower costs. If goals are met under an APM they're eligible for bonuses.
Clinicians in Medicare Advantage plans have urged the CMS to consider those plans as APMs since some are offering risk-based contracts.
The White House's Office of Management and Budget must approve any experiment. It is now collecting comments on documentation that providers will need to fill out before participating in the demonstration. Comments on these forms are due Sept. 3.
In order to get credit as participating in an APM, doctors must receive a certain amount of Medicare fee-for-service revenue, but that threshold is too high for some providers who may primarily see Medicare Advantage patients. For doctors in Advantage plans to get credit, a demonstration must be launched, according to the CMS. Otherwise, physicians are still subject to MIPS.
The CMS hopes to launch the five-year demonstration this year. The CMS will ask providers about the payment arrangements they have with Medicare Advantage plans and about the number of patients covered in such arrangements. That information will determine whether the payment arrangements meet the risk standards to count as an APM.
The American Medical Association, America's Essential Hospitals and the Medical Group Management Association urged the CMS to take this step in a joint letter sent last year.
"Leading-edge clinicians who take risk under APMs within these MA contracts will not get credit for their efforts," the letter said. "Our proposal would encourage broader participation in risk arrangements by clinicians from the start, creating synergies that will reinforce their population-based strategies and translate into higher quality and more efficient care within Medicare."
An AMA spokesman said it appreciates that HHS took its concerns into consideration and said the demonstration will especially benefit practices in communities where there is a disproportionately high number of Medicare Advantage patients.
Medicare Advantage enrollment is projected to grow by 9% to 20.4 million in 2018. The CMS estimated that more than one-third of all Medicare enrollees, or 34%, will be in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2018.
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