CMS Pauses Geographic Direct Contracting Model

Due to the presidential administration change, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) paused implementation of the Geographic Direct Contracting model (Geo). According to a note posted on the CMS website on March 1, 2021, the Biden administration is reviewing the model. The note provided no information about the reason for the review or how long it might last.

CMS announced the Geo model back in December 2020, and a request for applications was posted January 15, 2021. CMS had planned to have two three-year performance periods, with the first running from January 1, 2022 through December 31 . . .