Summary
Expands this Medicare demonstration program to allow additional counties to participate and also permits physician participation.
Implementation Status
This program has been launched as a grant program governed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). More information can be found on the HRSA home page for this program.
On May 23, CMS issued a program transmittal delineating payment changes to the Frontier Community Health Integration Project pursuant to the amendments made by the ACA.
On Jan. 30, 2015, CMS issued a transmittal delineating home health travel reimbursement payment changes for the Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) as amended by this section of the law.
2016
On Apr. 19, CMS released the FY 2017 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital PPS and policy proposed rule that, once, finalized, will apply to discharges beginning on or after Oct. 1, 2016. Under the rule, CMS estimates a net average payment increase of 0.7 percent (a roughly $539 million increase in spending, including capital) in FY 2017 for the IPPS. For LTCH’s, and stemming largely from the application of statutory site-neutrality provisions in the Pathway for SGR Reform Act, CMS estimates that FY 2017 payments will decrease by an estimated $355 million or -6.9 percent in FY 2017.
Statutory Text
SEC. 3126. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ON COMMUNITY HEALTH INTEGRATION MODELS IN CERTAIN RURAL COUNTIES. (a) REMOVAL OF LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE COUNTIES SELECTED.—Subsection (d)(3) of section 123 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 1395i–4 note) is amended by striking ‘‘not more than 6’’. (b) REMOVAL OF REFERENCES TO RURAL HEALTH CLINIC SERVICES AND INCLUSION OF PHYSICIANS’ SERVICES IN SCOPE OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.—Such section 123 is amended— (1) in subsection (d)(4)(B)(i)(3), by striking subclause (III); and (2) in subsection (j)— (A) in paragraph (8), by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following: ‘‘(B) Physicians’ services (as defined in section 1861(q) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(q)).’’; (B) by striking paragraph (9); and (C) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (9).