Initiative pays primary-care docs for coordinating Medicare patients' care

The Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday a new initiative created by the health law that will ask physicians to focus on patients with chronic conditions. The program will be tested in five to seven markets across the country.

The Hill: Medicare Launches A Primary-Care Initiative
Medicare announced a new initiative Wednesday that will give primary-care doctors extra payments for better coordinating their patients' care. Participating doctors will receive bonus payments averaging $20 per patient per month. After two years, they'll be able to share in the savings the program generates for Medicare. Many studies suggest that more efficient primary care helps lower costs in the long run by emphasizing prevention and cutting down on redundant or unnecessary procedures. The new Medicare initiative will ask doctors to focus on patients with chronic diseases, work closely with patients' families and help coordinate among specialists. Medicare intends to test the voluntary program in five to seven parts of the country (Baker, 9/28).

Modern Healthcare: Care-Coordination Initiative Announced
The CMS will pay primary-care doctors to better coordinate care under a pilot program that would require other public and private insurers to make a similar investment. Primary-care doctors will receive an average of $20 per month for each Medicare fee-for-service enrollee to coordinate care in five to seven communities where most other insurers also agree to take part (Evans, 9/28).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: HHS Announces Coordinated Care Initiative
The Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, announced Wednesday, will increase Medicare payments to primary care providers who adopt a coordinated care model. A four-year demonstration, overseen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, begins next year in several health care markets. Providers in HHS-supported accountable care organizations, which also promote coordinated care, will not be able to participate (Torres, 9/28).