Email UpdatesIn June 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the testing of the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model to improve care management and care coordination by providing a pathway for primary care physicians (PCPs) to shift gradually from fee-for-service to prospective, population-based payments. Now, as of August 14, 2023, a Request for Applications (RFA) detailing model payment, care delivery, quality, and other policies for the MCP Model is available.
The MCP Model, which will assist PCPs with building infrastructure to improve the integration of behavioral health into primary care, will launch July 1, 2024, in eight States: Colorado, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Washington, and will operate over a 10-year period. CMS held an Office Hour on August 21, 2023, from 2-3 PM ET, and requests that questions about the RFA be submitted to MCP@cms.hhs.gov.
You may apply later this month when the Application Portal opens. CMS will send another announcement when the Application Portal is open. If you are interested in the Making Care Primary Model, but are not sure whether to apply yet, please submit a non-binding Letter of Intent here. Note that to be eligible to participate in the MCP Model, an organization must:
- Be a legal entity formed under applicable State, Federal, or Tribal law authorized to conduct business in each State in which it operates.
- Be Medicare-enrolled.
- Bill for health services furnished to a minimum of 125 attributed Medicare beneficiaries.
- Have the majority (at least 51%) of their primary care sites (physical locations where care is delivered) located in an MCP State.
To stay up to date on upcoming model announcements, events, and resources, sign up for the Making Care Primary Model listserv.