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Members of the nation’s largest association for accountable care organizations have asked CMS to make some suggested changes to the new direct contracting payment models and release additional details. Not doing so could “derail” the new payment reform, according to the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations (NAACOS).
CMS released first details about the direct contracting payment model toward the end of 2019 and also opened up applications for the first implementation period. Direct contracting covers three voluntary payment models for Medicare fee-for-service organizations to participate in risk-sharing arrangements. Direct contracting was included in a set of new payment models, called the Primary Care Initiative, announced in April 2019.