by Lesley R. Yeung, Shawn M. Gilman, and Serra J. Schlanger
On August 23, 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) Innovation Center announced a new initiative to encourage health care providers to better coordinate patient care. The Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative (“Bundled Payments Initiative”) seeks to align the financial incentives among hospitals, physicians, and non-physician practitioners through the use of a single negotiated payment for all services provided during an episode of care. The use of a bundled payment is expected to encourage hospitals, doctors, and other specialists to coordinate in treating a patient’s specific condition during a single hospital stay and recovery.
This is one of several new initiatives from the CMS Innovation Center intended to change the existing Medicare payment structure from one that pays for the quantity of care to one that pays for the quality of care. Participation in the Bundled Payments Initiative may serve as a first step for forming partnerships to improve care coordination and encourage participants to move into initiatives aimed at improving population health.