CPCI to Launch in Seven Markets Nationwide, Says CMS

Today, CMS' Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released the names of seven geographic markets that have been chosen to participate in the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative (CPCI) first announced by CMS in September 2011. The agency's announcement offers FPs a compelling opportunity to enhance patient care while boosting their practice's bottom line, says one AAFP leader.

According to information posted on the CMMI website, the seven market areas are

Primary care practices that participate in the CPCI will have the support of commercial and state health insurance plans as practices work to provide high-quality, coordinated and seamless care to patients. The program will blend fee-for-service payments with a per-patient, per-month care coordination fee and also offers practices the opportunity to earn a portion of shared savings after two years of participation.

After CMS finalizes agreements with the participating payers in each market, the CMMI will begin the recruitment stage. The center will choose as many as 75 primary care practices in each market area to participate in the four-year initiative, which is slated to be up and running by summer 2012.

AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D, M.B.I., of Spokane, Wash., strongly encourages AAFP members who live in the selected areas to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

"This initiative very much aligns with the best interests of our specialty and the transformation of family medicine practices to the patient-centered medical home model of care," Stream told AAFP News Now.

"It's also the payment model that most directly advantages primary care because payment flows straight to the practice. And small family medicine practices most certainly can participate," he said.

Stream pointed out that the CPCI involves public and private payers. "That mix will help ensure that practices arrive at that critical threshold where they have a substantial majority of their patients covered in this payment model," he noted.

If the CPCI is shown to improve quality and lower the costs of health care provided to patients, CMS has the authority to expand the initiative nationwide.

Stream noted that the Academy is ready to help members with the resources they will need to fully understand and participate in the CPCI. "We want these pilot communities to be successful," he said.

Accordingly, the AAFP already has scheduled a CPCI webinar on May 10 at 1 p.m. CDT. Registration for the webinar, which is titled "CPCI Selected Markets: Preparing Your Practice for Participation," is now open and free to all AAFP members.