Three-Month Delay for CJR Expansion

CMS announced this week that the effective date of the final rule for the Advancing Care Coordination Through Episode Payment Models (EPMs); Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Model; and Changes to the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model (CJR) has been pushed back again to October 1, 2017. This includes delaying implementation of the CJR model, which could make it eligible for the advanced alternative payment model under MACRA. According to Modern Healthcare, CMS explained, “The delay is necessary to allow time for additional review, to ensure that the agency has adequate time to undertake notice and comment rulemaking to modify the policy if modifications are warranted, and to ensure that in such a case participants have a clear understanding of the governing rules and are not required to take needless compliance steps.” The article also examines the pros and cons of making participation in CJR voluntary instead of mandatory. Full story.