Healthmonix Advisor

Bundled payments are on the rise. Last Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced in a keynote speech at the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative Conference that CMS will be revisiting mandatory bundled payment models, changing the way bundled payment programs have been treated by this administration under his predecessor, Tom Price.

CMS has recently lifted requirements for physicians participating in various bundled-payment initiatives. In a Proposed Rule released in August, the Health and Human Services agency proposed canceling the mandatory Episode Payment Models and Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive payment model, which were scheduled to begin in January. HHS also plans to reduce the number of geographic areas mandatorily participating in the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model from 67 down to 34.

In past weeks, we’ve looked at some reasons why bundled payments are taking off, and investigated a few specific CMS bundled payment initiatives happening now and in the near future. This week we’ve put together a list of three steps you can take right now to make bundled payments work for you and your practice.

Recently, we highlighted one of the fastest growing types of initiatives for improving the delivery of value-based care--the bundled payment model--and offered some popular opinions about why it is taking off. This week we’ll dive into some specific bundled payment initiatives past and present.

In recent years, the medical industry has seen a host of initiatives for improving the delivery of value-based care, but perhaps the fastest growing of these is the bundled payment model.  CMS has received both praise and criticism for their enthusiastic approach to bundles, but regardless, payment models are clearly changing and providers must stay informed if they want to reap the benefits of these changes.