The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on April 30 issued a second round of waivers and rule changes to provide flexibility to hospitals and improve access to testing for beneficiaries. These changes update waivers issued March 30 to address patient surge.

Applications for the new payment models are due to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Jan. 22, 2020.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission outlines issues of importance to essential hospitals, including Medicare payment strategies for Part B drugs, the Medicare Shared Savings Program,and Medicare fee-for-service spending for emergency department services.

The Primary Cares Initiative comprises five new voluntary payment model options under two paths. The new models build on the experience of the Medicare Shared Savings Program and Next Generation Accountable Care Organization model.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced notice of intent to apply and application deadlines for a Jan. 1, 2020, start date for the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

A final rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program overhauls the program and creates a pathway for accountable care organizations to more rapidly transition to performance-based risk models with the potential for greater shared savings.

The Medicare Shared Savings Program final rule creates a pathway for accountable care organizations to transition more rapidly to performance-based risk.

America's Essential Hospitals encouraged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to promote stability in the Medicare Shared Savings Program and allow essential hospitals more time to stay in savings-only tracks.

The association urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to adequately reimburse off-campus, provider-based departments and refine physician quality reporting to account for costs of care and the unique needs and patient populations served by essential hospitals.

New data show 472 accountable care organizations in the Medicare Shared Savings Program cared for 9 million program beneficiaries in 2017.

A proposed rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program would overhaul participation tracks to create a "glide path" along which accountable care organizations could transition from a rewards-only model to a two-sided model with risk and the potential for greater rewards.

A new proposed rule would create a pathway for accountable care organizations to more rapidly transition to performance-based risk.

The report provides updates on the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, off-campus emergency department access, the physician fee schedule, population-based quality measures and incentives, and Medicare accountable care organizations, among other topics.

This year, there are 124 new participants, including 55 that will take part in the risk-baring Medicare Shared Savings Program Track 1+ model; Accountable care organizations now serve 10.5 million Medicare patients, up 1.5 million from 2017.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services did not receive any letters of intent for the 2018 start date of the Medicare-Medicaid accountable care organization model.

The fact sheet gives a general overview of the Medicare Shared Savings Program and Quality Payment Program and explains how the programs work together.

A series of forums will provide information on the Next Generation ACO Model; a separate CMS webinar will outline the Medicare ACO Track 1+ Model.

Along with renewing ACOs, the 99 new organizations bring the total number of ACOs nationally to 480 in 2017.

The new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation model aims to boost participation from small rural hospitals and other smaller health care practices.

CMS will partner with up to six states on the new Medicare-Medicaid ACO Model, which was designed by the CMS Innovation Center.

Of particular interest to members of America’s Essential Hospitals are changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program and provisions related to telehealth.

The rule, released July 7, updates physician payment rates for Medicare services and makes changes to physician quality programs.

CMS requests feedback on a range of provisions relating to MIPS and incentives for participation in APMs, including whether to stratify quality measure data by demographic factors.

Nominations are due June 19. The work group will define terms related to alternative payment models and a strategy to track progress of APM implementation.

Roughly 48 percent of participating ACOs produced $121 million in total shared savings in 2013, with a net shared savings of $99 million

The call will provide an overview of the materials required for applying to the Medicare Shared Savings Program and lessons learned from previous program year application periods. Notices of intent due May 29, applications due July 31.

The model saved $384 million over a two-year time period and is the first alternative payment pilot to meet criteria for expansion to additional sites.

This new model will allow ACOs to take greater performance risks for greater financial reward, calls start March 31.

CMS will host a national provider call for ACOs interested in the 2016 program year.

Through CMS' new model, ACOs can take greater performance risk and receive a greater portion of savings through coordinated, high-quality care.

The Network will support the transition toward alternative payment models, using efforts in the Medicare Program as a guide.

Specifically, HHS will evaluate financial assistance programs, Medicaid expansion, pioneer ACOs, and marketplace payment systems.

There is particular interest in mechanisms for greater comprehensiveness in care delivery, care for complex patients, care coordination, and value-driven reimbursement.

Recommendations include establishing greater balance between risk and reward for participating ACOs.

The proposals seek to add flexibility for participants and encourage participants to assume more risk to be be rewarded with greater shared savings.

Topics of member interest include payment updates, the OQR Program, and the MSSP.

The rules, released Oct. 31, finalized a number of provisions regarding payments, data collection in outpatient departments, quality programs, and the MSSP.

The funding will be allocated to up to 75 ACOs participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to bring better care coordination to rural and underserved areas.

Explore Medicaid alternative payment models, which states have increasingly used to improve health care quality and lower costs.

America's Essential Hospitals urged CMS to ensure any changes to the MSSP encourage and emphasize quality of care for beneficiaries.

CMS proposes to update how participants in the MSSP capture and submit quality metric data to gauge improvements to quality of care. The proposed update includes changes to the measure set and the benchmark time period.

OMB received June 26 a CMS proposed rule regarding the second round of the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

Providers interested in participating in an ACO through the MSSP must submit a notice of intent to CMS by May 30 and a final application to CMS by July 31.

CMS will host a National Provider Call March 18, from 1:30 to 3 pm Eastern time, on 2014 Medicare quality reporting programs. During the call, officials will provide an overview of how to report quality measures in various Medicare programs, including those for electronic health records incentives and accountable care organizations.

ACOs allow hospitals, health care providers to improve quality, slow cost growth through coordinated care while sharing in savings

Will provide high-quality, coordinated care to about 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries

ACOs are responsible for quality, cost, and overall care of Medicare beneficiaries

Agency provides methodological considerations, questions for states to address in program proposals

CMS says all 32 pioneer ACOs improved quality, performed better than published rates in fee-for-service Medicare