AHA praises legislation extending incentive payments for Medicare Advanced Alternative Payment Models

The AHA Aug. 28 expressed support for the Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act in comments to House and Senate sponsors of the bill. The legislation would extend Medicare’s Advanced Alternative Payment Model incentive payments and maintain adequate qualifying thresholds.

“The Medicare Advanced APM incentive payments prevent attrition in value-based care models and provide crucial resources to hospitals and health systems,” the AHA wrote. “Although clinicians who participate in Advanced APMs will receive a slightly higher update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor beginning in calendar year 2026, this alone will not be a sufficient incentive to join or remain in these models. Advanced APM incentive payments enable clinicians and hospitals to invest the necessary resources in care redesign and coordination, as well as technology infrastructure, to participate in Advanced APMs successfully.”