CMS Pioneer ACO Demonstration Program: Update

The CMS Pioneer Demonstration program is in stage two of the application process — meaning that certain applicants have been invited by CMS to proceed to the next level, which is to defend/expand  their submitted application  in front of a CMS interview panel. 

Those interviews are currently in process and it is satisfying to know that all of our client/applicants were invited by CMS to proceed to the interview stage. We of course contiue to support our clients, as well as other oranizations  by preparing them for the interview process and the anticipated implementation phase.

Although CMS has not released a specific time frame for the follow up steps to the CMS interviews, we anticpate that by mid-October CMS will issue a communication announcing:

a) those organizations successful in passing the interview process;

b) announcing the much anticipated alternative payment methodologies for the Pioneer ACO initiative; and

c) announcing the time frame for negotiating the contract between CMS and those organizations that are invited to implement a Pioneer ACO franchise.

Look for further updates on the Pioneer program in future blogs as information becomes available.