Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HHS Rolls Back Two Programs Designed To Test New Medicare Payment Models
Stat: CMS Moves To Cancel Medicare Programs Overhauling Some Hospital Payments
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services moved to cancel pilot programs that would have paid certain hospitals a lump sum for all of the care associated with heart attacks, bypass surgeries, and some hip and femur fractures, including the initial visit, the surgery, and follow-up care. It’s canceling a similar program that targeted cardiac rehabilitation, and the agency is also proposing to drastically reduce the number of hospitals that have to participate in a separate program already underway that offers similar lump payments for hip and knee replacements. (Mershon, 8/15)
Modern Healthcare: CMS Cancels Two Mandatory Pay Models And Scales Back A Third
The CMS on Tuesday said it will toss two bundled-payment models and cut down the number of providers required to participate in a third, citing providers' requests to have more input in the models' designs. The agency slashed the number of mandatory geographic areas participating in the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement, or CJR, model from 67 to 34, it announced in a proposed rulemaking Tuesday. Comments are due Oct. 17. (Dickson, 8/15)
POLITICO Pro: HHS Scales Back Medicare Bundled Payment Programs
HHS is planning to roll back a pair of Obama-era programs requiring Medicare providers to participate in new care delivery models, reshaping the department's approach to overhauling how doctors and hospitals are paid. The proposal issued Tuesday afternoon would eliminate planned mandatory initiatives holding hospitals accountable for the cost of certain joint replacement surgeries and care for heart attacks and cardiac surgeries. (Cancryn, 8/15)
