Colorado SIM chooses first cohort of primary care practices

“The Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM) Office announces the first cohort of primary care practices selected to participate in practice transformation activities through the SIM initiative. First cohort practices will play an integral role in achieving Colorado SIM's goal of providing access to integrated physical and behavioral health care services in coordinated systems, with value-based payment structures, for 80 percent of Colorado residents by 2019. By participating in SIM, practices will be provided with a comprehensive practice transformation support package as well as the opportunity to participate in alternative payment models, the goals of which are to simultaneously improve patient outcomes while promoting greater return on investment.

Over the next two years, primary care practices in the first cohort will work toward adopting practice milestones that relate to the Colorado Framework for Whole Person Care.  Additionally, practices have committed to reporting their progress toward a common set of clinical quality measures and will be provided with a Clinical Health Information Technology Advisor to assist in building practice data capacity. The University of Colorado is providing leadership and oversight for practice transformation activities undertaken by the SIM practices and will offer opportunities for provider education, convene bi-annual collaborative learning sessions, and provide technical assistance to help support practice progress.

The state's major health plans have agreed to provide selected SIM-participating primary care practices in their networks with enhanced, value-based payments. Each practice in the first cohort will be supported by at least one payer through alternative payment models that align with categories of the Health Care Payment and Learning Action Network (HCPLAN) Alternative Payment Model Framework. This shift away from fee-for-service to value-based payment models will support practices as they transition towards integrated care delivery models and ensure that the transformation activities begun under SIM are sustainable beyond the term of the award. Furthermore, practices will be eligible to receive participation payments of up to $5,000 as well as competitive small grants disbursed through the SIM Practice Transformation Fund, consisting of approximately $3 million of SIM funds and a generous $3 million grant from The Colorado Health Foundation, to help offset the initial costs of integrating care.” [Source: Colorado SIM]