Policy

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to test innovative health care payment and service delivery models that have the potential to lower Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program spending while maintaining or improving the quality of care. The law requires an evaluation of each model to assess quality of care outcomes and changes in spending, and this evaluation is critical in determining the appropriate path for models, including expansion, modification, or termination.