Update from the Multi-State Collaborative

As planning for Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) intensifies, the Milbank Memorial Fund’s Multi-State Collaborative (MC) is evolving to meet the challenges and opportunities of the expanded federal program, and to continue its support for other related primary care transformation efforts. 2017 will bring a vastly increased set of learning and communications opportunities supported by the Fund, says Lisa Dulsky Watkins, director of the MC.

Update on CPC+ Implementation

There are 14 CPC+ regions with 57 engaged payers, including eight Medicaid agencies.  The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is reviewing applications from more than 4,000 primary care practices interested in participating. The selected practices will be announced by Thanksgiving, in line with the January 1, 2017 start date. Each of the 14 CPC+ regions must determine a neutral convener and facilitator, whose first task will be to bring the participating regional payers together, followed by establishing a broader multi-stakeholder group.

CPC+ Payer Summit

In September, CMS held an all-payer kickoff meeting in Baltimore, with 55 of the 57 participating payers represented. Leaders at CMMI provided informative and inspiring presentations. In addition, attendees participated in two breakout sessions. They had the opportunity to ask questions of experienced current Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative participating payers and to commence work on planning their approach to the draft framework for the specific regional payer collaboratives.

In-person Annual MC Meeting

The MC’s annual meeting will be held in early November. The meeting will emphasize new and expanded working relationships critical to the success of CPC+ and continuing state/regional multi-payer primary care transformation programs.

“Our members are looking forward to the face-to-face meeting in November, as are we,” says Dulsky Watkins.  “As the collaborative is expanding, it is crucial to forge new working relationships between regional partners who, in some cases, are meeting in person for the first time.  We’ll also be cementing the structure for an advanced learning system and communication framework across the 20 geographic areas represented in the MC.  It is a pivotal moment for us.”