Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is planning to launch “new, bold,” and possibly mandatory, value-based care models.
The HHS head made the comments during a Sept. 6 meeting of the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee, according to a Becker’s Hospital Review report.
Citing a CMS report detailing poor savings for ACOs, Azar said alternative payment models have fallen short of delivering on their potential despite increased coordination and value-focused efforts.
“Without real accountability, we’re just offering bonuses on top of payments that may be too high already,” he said. “That’s why we have no proposed to simplify the ACO system into two tracks, requiring them to take on risk sooner.”
Azar said health care providers should brace for mandatory pilots from CMMI.
“In some cases, as I’ve said before, that is going to mean mandatory models from CMMI and other mandatory reforms,” he said.
Click here to read the full report on Becker’s Hospital Review.
