CMS Announces Making Care Primary (MCP) Model

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new primary care model – the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model – that will be tested in eight states. Access to high-quality primary care is associated with better health outcomes and equity for people and communities. The model seeks to improve care for people with Medicare and Medicaid by equipping primary care clinicians with tools to form partnerships with specialists and leverage community-based connections to address patients’ health and health-related social needs.

CMS plans to partner with State Medicaid Agencies in the eight states to engage in full care transformation across payers. The model will support participants with varying levels of accountable care experience, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and physician practices with limited experience in value-based care, in driving toward a system that reduces disparities in care and results in better patient experience and outcomes.

CMS will test this advanced primary care model in Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Washington. CMS will work with model participants to address priorities specific to their communities, including care management for chronic conditions, behavioral health services, and health care access for rural residents.

Primary care organizations within participating states may apply when the application opens in late summer 2023. The model will launch on July 1, 2024.

For more information, review the detailed official press release.

To view the MCP webpage, visit: https://innovation.cms.gov/making-care-primary.

To view a model key highlights video, visit: https://youtu.be/8vy3PHHlCe4.