The State of Maryland has begun a bold new program that is intended to improve the quality and experience of health care in the state while also making care more affordable and accessible to all. The Maryland Primary Care Program (MDPCP) is an essential part of the overall health care system transformation from a volume-based, fee-for-service payment structure, to value-based payments that reward practitioners for delivering higher-quality, comprehensive primary care. The MDPCP provides a tremendous opportunity for practitioners, potential Care Transformation Organizations (CTOs) and other stakeholders to participate in transforming the way primary care is delivered.

With CTO applications open for just two more weeks, now is the time for organizations to carefully consider the opportunities that the program presents. For health systems, accountable care organizations (ACOs), and other organizations that are in the position to provide resources and services for practices, applying to serve as a CTO presents a unique opportunity to have a direct influence on care transformation in Maryland. Practitioners should also use this time to take a close look at program materials, as the practice application window will only be open between Wednesday, Aug. 1 through Friday, Aug. 31. In addition to benefiting from financial incentives under the program, practices that participate in the MDPCP will also be able to take advantage of enhanced flexibility to deliver meaningful, holistic care to the patients who need it most.

The decision to submit an application for the MDPCP is unique to each individual organization, so we hope that you will carefully review the program opportunity and materials on our website to determine whether the MDPCP is right for you. We hope that you will consider joining us as we work to improve care delivery for all Marylanders.

Howard Haft, MD, MMM, FACPE

Executive Director, Program Management Office

FAQs Now Available

Do you have questions about the MDPCP beyond what has been published in the Request for Applications (RFA)? If so, the Program Management Office (PMO) has published a list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). In addition, applicants can also look for: 

• Practice Checklist—a list of items practices can be working on now to prepare for the electronic application
• Instructions and downloadable letter template—to help practices request a Letter of Support from the Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP), a required component of the practice application
• Model Overlap— a guidance document to help practices compare payments and Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) implications, including concurrent participation in the MDPCP and certain Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organization (MSSP ACO) models
• 2018 Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) Implementation Guide—program and reporting requirements for the MDPCP are expected to closely mirror those of the national CPC+ program. Until specific details for the MDPCP are made available, the 2018 CPC+ Implementation Guide can provide insight into what can be expected from the upcoming “Getting Started with the MDPCP” guide

MDPCP Education

The PMO hosts many events to educate stakeholders about the upcoming MDPCP. Events include in-person meetings, online presentations, and the weekly release of new videos for a mini-webinar series.

Mini-Webinar Series

Mini-webinars are only a few minutes in length to provide a concise, easy-to-understand overview of important topics that applicants frequently have questions about. Available and upcoming webinar topics include: 

• Timeline—View now
• CTO Application—View now
• CTO Payments—View now
• Practice Application Overview—View now 
• Practice Application Portal—View now 
• Practice Payments—Coming soon

Upcoming Events

Other educational events being held in the upcoming weeks include:

• Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Introduction to MDPCP for Practices Webinar: Wednesday, July 11, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
• Practice Opportunity and Program Review Webinar: Thursday, July 26, 5 to 6 p.m.

Full Calendar

Program Timeline

The RFA for the MDPCP has been available for a few weeks, there are several upcoming application deadlines and milestones:  

• The electronic application for CTOs will close on Monday, July 23
• CTOs will be selected in late July
• Practices will be able to view available CTOs using the CTO Comparison Tool starting in August and prior to starting their applications
• Practice applications will be open from Wednesday, Aug. 1 until Friday, Aug. 31

Please see the timeline for a more detailed overview of the application and selection process.