WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee  (PTAC), today, recommended an ACEP-proposed Alternative Payment Model (APM) to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar.  It was presented to PTAC by ACEP members Randy Pilgrim, MD, FACEP,  Sue Nedza, MD, FACEP, and Jeff Bettinger, MD, FACEP.

Secretary Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma both briefly attended the meeting. In response to this recommendation for implementation,  Paul Kivela, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) released the following statement:

“This is a big win for emergency physicians and emergency patients. The Acute Unscheduled Care Model is the first proposed payment model that gives emergency physicians a leading role when it comes to accountability for patient care and care coordination.  We especially want to thank the American Medical Association for their support with this model.

“While this is a major step in the model’s development, we still have a long way to go before it’s operational. Today’s recommendation does not mean the model is approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  ACEP looks forward to continue working with HHS to improve emergency patient care through the implementation of this model.”

To read ACEP’s proposed APM and other information, please click here.