Rural payment model postpones request for ACO applications

The Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model will not seek applications from accountable care organizations until next spring, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today.

The two-track payment model, announced last year, will test whether upfront investments, predictable capitated payments, and operational and regulatory flexibilities improve rural health care access and quality while reducing costs. The one-year delay applies only to the model’s ACO track.

For more on the model and to sign up for email updates, visit the CMS website.