CMS on March 16 made available its applications for the second cohort of its Primary Care First payment model.
The agency launched the Primary Care First Model in January to test how well it decreases the number of avoidable hospital visits and total cost of care through performance-based adjustments. It selected 864 practices to participate in the first cohort, and the participants were generally primary care clinicians who serve seriously ill populations in high need of care.
Practices will have until April 30 to apply for participation in the second cohort, and payers will have until May 28 to apply.The second cohort starts in January and will have a five-year performance period.