Primary Care First (PCF) Model: Cohort Two Applications Open

On March 16, 2021, CMS released the Request for Applications for Cohort 2 of the PCF Model. The deadline for practice applications is April 30, 2021, and the second cohort of the model is scheduled to begin in 2022 and run for five years. PCF is an advanced payment model for primary care practices, providing additional flexibility in terms of care delivery and shifting payment from fee-for-service to a value-based-payment approach. As previously noted, one of the flexibilities that CMS implemented in the first cohort of the model is authorizing participating nurse practitioners (NPs) to certify their patients’ need for therapeutic shoes for diabetes. CMS is also hosting an upcoming webinar for interested practices, as noted below, and additional information regarding the model can be found on the PCF website.