On February 12, HHS announced a new multi-payer payment and care delivery model to support better care coordination for cancer care as part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to improve the quality of care patients receive and spend health care dollars more wisely, contributing to healthier communities. The initiative will include 24-hour access to practitioners for beneficiaries undergoing treatment and an emphasis on coordinated, person-centered care, aimed at rewarding value of care, rather than volume.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center) is developing new payment and delivery models designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of specialty care. Among those specialty models is the Oncology Care Model, an innovative new payment model for physician practices administering chemotherapy. Under the Oncology Care Model (OCM), practices will enter into payment arrangements that include financial and performance accountability for episodes of care surrounding chemotherapy administration to cancer patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is also seeking the participation of other payers in the model. This model aims to provide higher quality, more highly coordinated oncology care at a lower cost to Medicare.
According to the Oncology Care Model (OCM) Request for Applications (RFA), one of the requirments for practices is Attestation and use of ONC-certified EHRs.
Participating practices must demonstrate an increasing commitment to using electronic health records (EHR) throughout the performance years. Prior to the start of the first performance year, participating practices are required to demonstrate their intent to meaningfully use EHR technology certified under ONC’s HIT Certification Program. By the end of the first performance year, eligible professionals in the practice must attest to Stage 1 of meaningful use, with the intention of attesting to Stage 2 of meaningful use by the end of the third performance year. The OCM requirements related to meaningful use may be updated to align with future CMS rulemaking.
All practices and payers who wish to apply for participation in OCM-FFS must first submit a non-binding letter of intent (LOI). LOIs for interested payers are due by 5:00 pm EDT on March 19, 2015. LOIs for interested practices are due by 5:00 pm EDT on April 23, 2015. LOI forms are available for download (see Additional Information below), and will only be accepted through the Oncology Care Model email inbox at OncologyCareModel@cms.hhs.gov.
More information can be found on the Oncology Care Model Fact Sheet.