CMS Extends Participation in Bundled Payment Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 20, 2016)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is pleased to offer the awardees in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiative the opportunity to extend their participation in Models 2, 3 and 4 through September 30, 2018.

The first cohort of awardees in Models 2, 3, and 4 that began in October 2013 were scheduled to end their participation on September 30, 2016. This extension means that they, along with other organizations that joined later in 2014, have the opportunity to continue their participation in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative up until September 30, 2018. In addition, by extending their participation, CMS will be able to provide a more robust and rigorous evaluation of the initiative and determine whether the efforts of bundling payments are successful in providing better care while spending health care dollars more wisely. This would build on the first year evaluation.

As of April 1, 2016, the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative has 1,522 participants, comprised of 321 Awardees and 1,201 Episode Initiators. In Models 2, 3 and 4 there are 48 clinical episodes from which participants are able to choose when considering their opportunities for care redesign, improving quality, and achieving savings.

Bundling payment for services that patients receive across a single episode of care—such as a heart bypass surgery or a hip replacement—is one way to encourage doctors, hospitals and other health care providers to work together to better coordinate care for patients, both when they are in the hospital and after they are discharged. The initiative is part of the Administration’s broader strategy to improve the health care system by paying providers for what works, unlocking health care data, and finding new ways to coordinate and integrate care to improve quality and reduce costs.

We are excited to offer the opportunity for awardees in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative to continue their participation, and we look forward to further working with them in providing high quality, coordinated care to Medicare beneficiaries.

For more information about the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative visit this link.

In addition see an updated CMS fact sheet here.