News: CMS delays the expansion of the bundled payment programs

CMS delayed the expansion and the implementation of the several bundled payment models in an interim final rule announced this week. The programs affected are:

• Advancing Care Coordination through Episode Payment Models (EPMs)
• Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Model
• Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model changes

According to the CMS interim rule, the effective date for the cardiac and orthopedic bundled payment models will now be May 20, 2017, and the implementation date will move from July 1 to October 1, 2017. The effective date is the date on which the changes become active; implementation date is the date on which the Medicare contractors will apply all changes.

This is not the first time CMS has delayed these deadlines. Previously, CMS delayed the date for the bundled payments from February 18, 2017, to March 21, 2017. According to CMS, the further delays allow them more time to review the comments and modify the policy if necessary.

Editor’s note: To read the original proposed bundled payments release from CMS in December 2016, click here. To read the interim final rule from March 20, click here.