The push for value-based payment incentives continues, as more than 630 organizations sent a letter last week urging Congressional leaders to extend incentive payments for participation in risk-bearing alternative payment models (APMs). Incentives expire at the end of the year unless Congress acts.

"The advanced APM incentive payments have allowed clinicians to cover some of the investment costs of moving to new payment models, including expanding care teams, developing programs to improve beneficiary care, and adopting population health infrastructure," states the letter, which was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Speaker of the House Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) "Incentives also help to improve care for patients by giving clinicians financial resources to expand services beyond those covered by traditional Medicare."

The volume and diversity of the hundreds of supporters spans every corner of the country and shows the reach of APMs and the resulting incentive payments that will help ensure physicians and other clinicians have adequate resources to care for their patients, according to the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) — which was among the health systems, hospitals, physician practices, health clinics, and accountable care organizations that co-signed the letter.