Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) is a national advanced primary care medical home model that will include two primary care practice tracks with incrementally advanced care delivery requirements and payment options.  CPC+ is a five-year model that will begin in January 2017.  Practices choosing to participate in CPC+ cannot participate in CCM or an ACO model while participating in CPC+.

CPC+ will bring together CMS, commercial insurance plans, and State Medicaid agencies to provide the financial support necessary for practices to make fundamental changes in their care delivery. CMS will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with selected payer partners to document a shared commitment to align on payment, data sharing, and quality metrics throughout the five year initiative.

Practices in both tracks will make changes in the way they deliver care, centered on key Comprehensive Primary Care Functions: (1) Access and Continuity; (2) Care Management; (3) Comprehensiveness and Coordination; (4) Patient and Caregiver Engagement; and (5) Planned Care and Population Health.

Payer solicitation and practice applications will be a staggered process. First, CMS will solicit payer proposals to partner with Medicare in CPC+ (April 15-June 1, 2016). The choice of up to 20 CPC+ regions will be informed by the geographic reach of selected payers.  Next, CMS will publicize the CPC+ regions, and solicit applications from practices within these regions (July 15-September 1, 2016).  2,500 practices will be chosen for each track.

Practices in both tracks will be required to use CEHRT , and will be expected to report electronic clinical quality measures at the practice-level.  Practices applying to Track 2 will need to submit a letter of support from their Health IT vendor(s) that outlines vendors’ commitment to supporting the practice with advanced health IT capabilities.

CMS will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with those health IT vendors supporting Track 2 practices selected to participate in CPC+. More articles on health care are in way which was already written by Steven Lash! Stay Tuned.