America’s Physician Groups Applauds CMMI Release of Direct Contracting Model RFA

Statement by Don Crane

President and CEO

America’s Physician Groups

“We are extremely pleased with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) releasing today the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Professional and Global options of the Direct Contracting Models.  This is yet another step by CMMI in affirming its commitment to ensuring that patients have access to the high-quality, accountable, and coordinated care physician groups have been providing for decades.

“The application period will be open from today until Monday, February 24, 2020 for those wishing to participate in the ‘implementation period,’ which focuses on organizations wanting to use the initial year to align beneficiaries.  For those wishing to start in the first Performance Period beginning January 2021, that application will be available in Spring 2020.

“We also applaud CMMI for reopening the Letter of Intent (LOI) submissions period until December 10, 2019 for the organizations that didn’t submit in August. It is important to note that a LOI must be submitted in order to submit an application, but the LOI is not binding.

“Risk-sharing arrangements properly incentivize physicians to provide high-value, high-quality healthcare to the patients and communities they serve.  We look forward to continuing to work with CMMI to put more tools in the toolbox to help physicians who are moving from volume to value.”

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Click here for the RFA portal.

Click here to access LOI submissions.

Click here to download this statement.