Testimony before the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on MACRA APMs

The American Hospital Association (AHA) appreciates the opportunity to submit comments on the implementation of alternative payment models (APMs) in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).

Now entering its second year, the MACRA’s Quality Payment Program (QPP) continues to have a significant impact, not only on physicians and others clinicians, but also on the hospitals and health systems with whom they partner to deliver care. There remains strong interest from the field in participating in advanced APMs to support new models of care, and to qualify for the bonus payment and exemption from the QPP’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). However, opportunities to access the advanced APM track remain significantly constrained. In the calendar year (CY) 2018 QPP final rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that as few as 10 percent of eligible clinicians will qualify for the advanced APM track in 2018.