[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 230 (Wednesday, November 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74067-74068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30845]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-5505-N2]


Medicare Program; Announcement of a New Application Deadline for 
the Advance Payment Model

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a new application deadline for 
participation in the Advance Payment Model for certain accountable care 
organizations participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program 
scheduled to begin in 2012.

DATES: Application Submission Deadlines for the Advance Payment Model: 
Applications for the performance period beginning on April

[[Page 74068]]

1, 2012 will be accepted from January 3, 2012 through February 1, 2012.
    The period during which applications will be accepted for the 
performance period beginning on July 1, 2012 will remain identical to 
the period for the Medicare Shared Savings Program. More information is 
available on the Advance Payment Model Web site at http://www.innovations.cms.gov/initiatives/aco/advance-payment/index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Farmer, (410) 786-5497.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is committed to 
achieving the three-part aim of better health for populations, better 
health care for individuals, and lower growth in expenditures through 
continuous improvement for Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health 
Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries. One potential mechanism for 
achieving this goal is for CMS to partner with groups of health care 
providers of services and suppliers that have a mechanism for shared 
governance and have formed an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) 
through which they work together to coordinate care for a specified 
group of patients. We will pursue such partnerships through 
complementary efforts, including the Medicare Shared Savings Program 
and initiatives undertaken by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid 
Innovation (Innovation Center).
    The Advance Payment Model is an Innovation Center initiative 
designed for participants in the Medicare Shared Savings Program in 
need of prepayment of expected shared savings to build their capacity 
to provide high quality, coordinated care and generate cost savings. 
The Advance Payment Model will test whether and how pre-paying a 
portion of future shared savings could increase participation in the 
Medicare Shared Savings Program, and whether advance payments will 
enhance the ability of ACOs to effectively coordinate care and generate 
Medicare savings, as well as the speed at which they attain that goal.
    In the November 2, 2011 Federal Register (76 FR 68012), we 
published a notice announcing the Advance Payment Model. Additional 
information about the Advance Payment Model is available on the Advance 
Payment Model Web site at http://www.innovations.cms.gov/initiatives/aco/advance-payment/index.html.

II. Provisions of the Notice

    This notice announces a new deadline for applications to the 
Advance Payment Model for the performance period beginning April 1, 
2012. We will accept applications to the Advance Payment Model from 
January 3, 2012 through February 1, 2012. The period during which 
applications will be accepted for the performance period beginning on 
July 1, 2012 will remain identical to the period for the Medicare 
Shared Savings Program.
    Organizations interested in applying to the Advance Payment Model 
must also complete an application for the Shared Savings Program. This 
modified deadline will provide organizations interested in the Advance 
Payment Model with more time to complete the additional application 
needed for the Advance Payment Model. Information about the application 
process and deadlines for the Shared Savings Program is available at 
http://www.cms.gov/sharedsavingsprogram.
    Additional information about the application process for the 
Advance Payment Model is available on the Advance Payment Model Web 
site at http://www.innovations.cms.gov/initiatives/aco/advance-payment/index.html.

    Authority:  Section 1115A of the Social Security Act.

    Dated: November 23, 2011.
Donald M. Berwick,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2011-30845 Filed 11-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P