The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued a final rule on a scaled back bundled care which is good news for physical therapists.
The first attempt by the CMS to mandate bundled care was back in 2016. The current rule, at least until January 1, 2018, mandates that 67 different geographic areas participate in Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR). But now, the rule will require 34 of those to participate in CJR. The remaining 33 areas are not required to participate and can do so voluntarily. An estimated 430-450 facilities will participate, including those who voluntarily chose to participate.
According to the American Physical Therapy Association’s PT in Motion, scaling back on the reach of the CJR will make it easier for physical therapists (PTs), to be included as qualifying alternative payment model (APM) participants (QPs) under the Quality Payment Program’s Advanced APM track. Click here to find out how.
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