August 23, 2017
WASHINGTON, DC—The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) released a virtual toolkit designed to help medical practices navigate the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
Macratoolkit.com equips primary and specialty care practices, as well as consultants and health care executives that work with them, with tools to navigate the newly updated payment structure. The toolkit helps practices understand how patient-centered care aligns with MACRA, and includes steps for implementing elements of patient-centered care into medical practice activities and management.
NCQA developed this toolkit in response to MACRA rules that transition Medicare payments from a fee-for-service payment system to one based upon value. Evidence indicates the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model provides higher-quality and lower cost care, both also key elements of the MACRA payment structure. The toolkit includes real life examples—case studies–of practices that implemented patient-centered care likely to benefit them under MACRA.
“This MACRA toolkit is a virtual instruction manual for how to capitalize on the PCMH model to improve performance scores and earn a higher bonus,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA President. “We want to help all practices move closer to the ultimate goal of delivering high-quality, low-cost care. This toolkit is really a set of directions—a map—they can use to navigate in that direction.”
NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and Patient-Centered Specialty Practice (PCSP) programs provide the framework for practices to implement a patient-centered approach that improves quality, reduces costs and improves patient satisfaction.
MACRA marks a significant change to the health care system overall. The NCQA MACRA toolkit is an aid to understanding that change, understanding MACRA and ultimately understanding how to improve health care across the nation.
The toolkit is free, and can be accessed at macratoolkit.com.