Press Releases

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Darin LaHood (IL-16), Neal Dunn (FL-02), and Kim Schrier (WA-08) introduced the Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act. This bipartisan legislation would continue incentives that enable Medicare providers to participate in value-based health programs, which are designed to improve the quality of care for seniors while lowering costs.

Specifically, this bill would extend incentive payments for qualifying participants (QPs) in advanced alternative payment models (APMs) at 3.53% through payment year 2027 and freeze the scheduled increase in qualifying thresholds.

“Our health care system needs to move from volume to value to deliver better care at a better price. Health care providers and hospitals participating in Alternative Payment Models are leading this change, but the federal government needs to keep in place the right incentives to continue this shift,” said DelBene. “The Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act will help pay providers and health systems for the quality of care they deliver instead of the amount.”

“Alternative Payment Model incentive payments are essential to ensuring that Americans have the highest quality of care possible,” said LaHood. “I am proud to champion and be joined by my colleagues in introducing the Preserving Access to Accountable Care Act to ensure that physicians and other healthcare providers are able to deliver high-quality, well-coordinated, and cost-effective comprehensive care. By continuing the incentives and maintaining the current qualifying thresholds, this will help sustain and grow participation in value-based payment models.”

“Alternative Payment Models ensure that patients receive the best possible care while rewarding providers for delivering high quality care at an affordable price,” said Dunn. “Congress must encourage this commonsense approach to healthcare, which will keep costs low while improving patient outcomes.”

“Alternative Payment Model incentive payments are an effort to make our health care system more efficient by rewarding providers for transitioning to value-based care models that don’t compensate based on numbers of visits or procedures, but based on patient outcomes,” said Schrier, M.D. “Value-based care is one way to ensure high quality, efficient care for seniors. I'm proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation, which will extend APM incentive payments and thereby offer a range of practices to improve care for Medicare recipients.”

“Advanced APM incentives have enabled clinicians to reinvest in patient care and better manage the health of their populations,” said National Association of ACOs Incoming CEO Emily Brower. “This progress is evident in the continued growth of APMs, with over 50% of traditional Medicare beneficiaries now receiving care through an accountable care organization. This legislation plays a vital role in driving the ongoing shift toward value-based care”

“Passage of the Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act is critical for AMGA members to continue providing a high level of care to their patients,” said AMGA President and CEO Jerry Penso, MD, MBA. “This legislation ensures that AMGA members can continue to participate in value-based care and get rewarded for providing outstanding care to their patients. AMGA members support this legislation and thank Rep. LaHood for introducing this important bill.”

“The advanced alternative payment model incentive has increased adoption of accountable care across the country,” said Accountable for Health CEO Mara McDermott. “We appreciate the bipartisan commitment to this policy that accelerates the transformation of health care delivery to improve care for patients and lower costs.”

A copy of the bill can be found here.