August 22, 2011

Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative Request for Application

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is encouraging health care provider organizations to participate in its new Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative; four reimbursement programs are offered and psychiatric hospitalizations at a general acute care hospital are included. The initiative will bundle payment across provider sites for multiple services given during an episode of care, which is a single hospital stay and/or recovery from the stay. The goal is to provide incentives for care coordination across settings. Interested organizations must submit a nonbinding letter of intent by September 22, 2011, for the first model and by November 4, 2011, for the other models.