Characteristics of Physicians Participating in Medicare’s Oncology Care Model Bundled Payment Program

DESCRIPTION
The Oncology Care Model (OCM) is Medicare’s first bundled payment program for patients with cancer. We examined baseline characteristics of OCM physician participants and markets with high OCM physician participation to inform generalizability and complement the ongoing practice-level evaluation of the OCM.

IMPACT
We found differences in practice demographics, care intensity, and exposure to nontraditional payment models between OCM-participating and nonparticipating physicians. Such provider-level differences may not be captured in Medicare’s practice-level analysis and indicate that complementary analyses are important at the level of the physician.

PEOPLE
Ravi Parikh, MD; Justin Bekelman, MD; Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, PhD, MSc; and Amol Navathe, MD, PhD

PARTNERS
Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) Cancer Control Program and the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy

FOCUS
Payment Models and Affordability