The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced its latest primary care model called “Making Care Primary “(MCP) on June 8. The model allows primary care practices to participate in delivering advanced primary care services, phasing in increasing levels of financial risk and reward over time. Building on experience from previous primary care models, the model seeks to ensure beneficiary access to care management, care integration, and community connection. The latter seeks to identify beneficiaries’ health-related social needs (HRSNs) and connect them to community supports and services.

This last prong may present an opportunity for community-based aging service providers and senior housing to partner in the new model, especially as the model participant takes on increasing financial risk and could potentially sub-contract with community-based organizations who can address HRSNs. CMMI Director Liz Fowler said the model differs from other CMMI models in four key ways:

1. Provides an onramp for safety net providers and those that focus on underserved populations to participate in an APM including availability of upfront infrastructure payments.
2. Partners with states to align across payers and engage Medicaid population in the accountable care models, starting with Colorado, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Minnesota, Maine, and Washington.
3. Has a 10-year model timeline to begin in July 1, 2024, as opposed to the typical five-year CMMI model. CMS indicated “it takes time for care delivery transformation.”
4. Integrates primary care and specialty care to jointly address serious and chronic conditions.

This is one of the models CMS/CMMI said it would launch in 2023 to further its goal to have 100% of Medicare beneficiaries and the vast majority of Medicaid beneficiaries in accountable care relationships by 2030. More information on the model can be found here.