CMS is soliciting applications from healthcare providers in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico for the Acute Care Episode (ACE) demonstration, a new demonstration intended to test the use of a global payment for an episode of care as an alternative approach to payment for service delivery. According to CMS, “Bundled payment for such episodes should foster coordination of care between hospitals and physicians as well as produce savings to the Medicare program.” The focus of the demonstration will be on cardiac and orthopedic inpatient surgical services.
CMS will clarify issues and answer questions regarding the ACE demonstration in an informational teleconference for potential applicants and other interested parties, scheduled for June 4 from 3 to 4:30 pm EST. The call-in number is (888) 982-4492 (with the passcode “Acute Care”). More information about the demonstration is available at the ACE demonstration web page.
