What can you do while CMS decides how to handle the mandatory program? As the healthcare community continues its march away from fee-for-service models, bundled payment initiatives have risen in popularity—thanks in no small part to their ability to fuel cost savings and significantly improve care outcomes. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an interim final rule in March that delays implementation of the new bundled payment model for heart attack and cardiac bypass surgery services; expansion of the existing Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement bundling model; and implementation of a new cardiac rehabilitation incentive payment model, from July 1 to October 1, 2017. Prior to the interim rule, CMS’ push forward on bundled payments focused the industry on episodic efficiency. The delay has pushed these initiatives back three months and, as DataGen’s Vice President, Kelly Price recently explained, is causing confusion and worry among participants.

Another round of major healthcare financial cuts is possible—and their impact could be devastating. As healthcare policymakers and analysts try to mitigate the high cost of healthcare in the United States, payment reform is already making an impact on the way provider organizations do business. DataGen recently released projections revealing the impact of cuts made in Medicare payments to hospitals and hospital systems across the nation over the last 16 years. These cuts were partially offset by the coverage increases under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As the new administration turns its attention to healthcare, however, there are more potential cuts on the table. If these cuts are enacted—and if done so while the coverage expansion provided by the ACA is repealed or changed—healthcare organizations face a major risk of a massive decrease in funding.