Bundled Payments for Care Improvement: Important Application Submission Information - Models 2-4

June 20, 2012

Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Online Application: Alternative Method to Enter ICD-9 Code Exclusions Available to Applicants

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation would like to thank all applicants to the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative for their interest. We have made an online application portal available for applicants to propose episode definitions and other key information. The online application system was designed to reflect CMS’ preference for broad episode definitions with few proposed exclusions. However, we recognize that applicants have expressed concern about the effort associated with entering ranges of excluded ICD-9 codes. While we continue to encourage applicants to use the online application portal to enter in all information, at this time, we are now offering applicants the option to submit one element of the episode definition, Part A and B ICD-9 exclusions, in a Microsoft Excel file instead. All other elements of the episode definition must be entered into the online application portal.

Applicants who have already completed or plan on completing the episode definition section of the online application portal without issue do not need to take any action. Applicants that choose to exercise this option must follow these instructions (PDF). A template of the Excel spreadsheet with the required format is available for download (.ZIP) (ZIP).

NOTE FOR FACILITATOR CONVENERS: If facilitator convener applicants choose to submit an Excel spreadsheet with ICD-9 exclusions, please note that the Excel file will not be available in the online application portal for designated awardees/designated awardee conveners to see. Please share this information with them directly so they may see the full episode definitions in order to complete their sub-proposals accordingly.

Thank you to all our applicants for the time you have invested on our application and for all you do to improve healthcare in this country. We look forward to receiving your applications on or before June 28, 2012 at 5:00 PM EST. As always, if you have any further questions about the application process, please contact the BPCI Applications Help Desk at bpapplications@hcmsllc.com or 1-888-340-1356 M-F 8:00AM - 5:00PM ET.

April 6, 2012

Models 2-4 application deadline extended to Thursday, June 28, 2012, at 5:00 PM EDT

As previously reported, the CMS Innovation Center is pleased to announce that we will be receiving applications for Models 2-4 of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative through an online portal. This online portal will be available the week of April 23, 2012. To ensure clarity and address the potentially large number of applications and the variety of partnerships we expect to see, we have streamlined the application and incorporated all program clarifications that have been released to date.

We are committed to giving all applicants the necessary time to develop their model and complete the application. We have received a great deal of feedback from potential applicants requesting that we provide more time for the preparation of their application. Based on those requests and the availability date of our online application portal, we are extending the Models 2-4 application deadline to Thursday, June 28, 2012, at 5:00 PM EDT.

As previously described, the new application requires applicants to select one of three roles. The role the applicant selects will determine the information we need about the applicant and its Bundled Payment participating organizations. We encourage you to see our website for more information about these roles.

Prior to the release of the online application, we will be sending an email to the project contact (listed on your Letter of Intent) of each organization that submitted a Letter of Intent to apply for Models 2-4 asking them to designate the applicant role for their application. More instructions regarding this process will follow. It is critical that we have the correct contact information for all potential applicants. We recommend that you verify that the project contact listed on your Letter of Intent is still the individual at your organization who should receive this information. If there has been any change in project contact, please email us at BundledPayments@cms.hhs.gov as soon as possible and please copy the original contact in your communication.