CMS will allocate $100 million to train small practices

Last week, CMS awarded approximately $100 million to 11 organizations to provide training and education about the Quality Payment Program in practices of 15 or fewer clinicians, according to a statement from CMS.

In the first year, CMS will give $20 million with plans to invest up to an additional $80 million over the next four years.

The primary goal of the initiative is to provide training to small practices, especially those in underserved communities and rural areas. The resources are available now and come at no cost to eligible clinicians and practices.

“Clinicians in small and rural practices are critical to serving the millions of Americans across the nation who rely on Medicare for their healthcare,” said Kate Goodrich, MD, the CMS chief medical officer and director of the center for clinical standards and quality, in a statement.

The following organizations will be receiving funding:

• Altarum
• Georgia Medical Care Foundation (GMCF)
• Healthcentric Advisors
• Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG)
• IPRO
• Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI)
• QSource
• Qualis
• Quality Insights (West Virginia Medical Institute)
• Telligen
• TMF Health Quality Institute

Clinicians at the organizations listed will receive help choosing and reporting on quality measures and will get guidance with strategic planning and optimizing the use of health information technology.

“Congress, through the bipartisan Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, recognized the importance of small practices and rural practices and provided the funding for this assistance, so clinicians in these practices can navigate the new program, while being able to focus on what matters most—the needs of their patients,” Goodrich said.