CMS Proposes To Shrink Mandatory CCJR Demo; Cancel Other Mandatory Bundles

CMS proposed on Tuesday (Aug. 15) to cut the number of geographic areas participating in the innovation center's mandatory Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement demonstration by almost half, make the model voluntary for providers in the remaining areas, and to cancel the Episode Payment Models and Cardiac Rehabilitation incentive payment models. Hospitals' initial reactions to the news were split -- the American Hospital Association raised concerns that canceling the demonstrations would be disruptive to those who had already been preparing...