ACOs seek clarity on future of payment models

The National Association of ACOs sent a letter this week to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation seeking more information on the future of the direct contracting and Next Generation ACO models.

While industry supported the Direct Contracting Model when it was announced in April 2019, the program has been on an unclear hiatus as the Innovation Center never opened application portal as anticipated in March or offered any additional details on the model. The Next Generation ACO model is slated to end this year after four performance years, but the Innovation Center hasn’t offered ACOs any details about how to apply next year for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, according to NAACOS.

“With no 2021 application period for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, our members are increasingly frustrated that they will not have time to evaluate their participation options for the upcoming years,” said Clif Gaus, president of NAACOS, in a letter to Innovation Center Director Brad Smith.

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