Medicare Program; Advancing Care Coordination Through Episode Payment Models (EPMs); Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Model & Changes To the Comprehensive Care For Joint Replacement Model; Delay Of Effective Date

On March 21, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released this interim rule delaying the effective date of the final rule entitled, ‘‘Advancing Care Coordination Through Episode Payment Models (EPMs); Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Model; and Changes to the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model’’. The effective date of the rule is moved from March 21, 2017 until May 20, 2017. Additional effective dates in the rule are moved from July 1, 2017 to October 1, 2017.  CMS seeks comment on the appropriateness of this delay, as well as a further applicability date delay until January 1 . . .