Health insurers Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Empire BlueCross BlueShield were chosen by CMS to participate in the agency's Comprehensive Primary Care Plus initiative in Ohio, Northern Kentucky and New York.
CMS announced its CPC+ initiative in April in an effort to improve primary care by helping practices transition to value-based care models. Under the five-year model, CMS will partner with commercial payers and state Medicaid agencies to provide monthly care management fees based on beneficiary risk tiers.
Indianapolis-based Anthem already operates in CPC+'s pilot program in Ohio, which will end this year. Its CPC+ region will include the entire state of Ohio and northern Kentucky counties Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton.
CMS also chose Empire BlueCross BlueShield to participate in CPC+'s North Hudson-Capital Region in New York. The insurer was likewise a part of CPC+'s pilot program. Anthem, Empire and affiliates hope to have more than half of their spending in value-based payments instead of fee-for-service payments by 2018.
CMS spokesperson William Polglase said CMS will update its CPC+ Region and Payer List soon to reflect all chosen payers.
Providers looking to participate in CPC+ will need to apply to CMS by Sept. 15. Selected providers will be announced late 2016.
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