Alternate Payment Models – Strategy Implications Of The CMS Roadmap

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) seems to be "all in" on alternate payment models (APMs). In total, more than 12.3 million Medicare and/or Medicaid beneficiaries in 2017 will be served by a clinical professional participating in an APM (see More Than 560 Medicare ACOs Will Participate In 2017).

What is an APM? CMS defines alternative payment models as "a payment approach that gives added incentive payments to provide high-quality and cost-efficient care. APMs can apply to a specific clinical condition, a care episode, or a population" (see What are Alternative Payment Models . . .