Here is a stripped-down version of Becker’s Hospital Review’s “9 things to know” about CMS’s five-year Oncology Care Model, one of  CMS’s first physician-led specialty-care models, meant to improve quality and cut  costs.

1. “HHS selected 17 payers and 196 physician practices to participate — almost twice the number it expected.”

2. “The program takes  episodic approach to cancer treatment to help contain costs and enhance patient care.”

3. “Under the OCM, physicians are paid in two ways.”

4. “Episodes last six months each and cover almost all cancer types.”

5. “Performance payments are awarded to practices based on how well they perform in relation to benchmarks calculated by CMS.”

6. “There are two risk options under the OCM.”

7. “The two-sided risk track is considered an Advanced Alternative Payment Model under the newly proposed Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act.”

8. “CMS will provide a learning system for participants to share and diffuse resources, tools, ideas and data-driven approaches to care.”

9. “Dual participation in OCM and other programs is allowed in some cases.”

To read the whole Becker’s article, please hit this link.