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Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC)

An independent federal advisory committee that makes recommendations to the Secretary of HHS on stakeholder-submitted physician-focused payment models and related topics.

Register for PTAC’s Next Public Meeting: March 25-26

About PTAC

PTAC was created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) which was enacted in part to improve how the federal Medicare program pays physicians for the care they provide to Medicare beneficiaries. MACRA authorized the creation of Medicare’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and additional Medicare Alternative Payment Models (APMs). MACRA also created incentives for physicians to participate in APMs and specifically encouraged the development of certain types of APMs referred to as physician-focused payment models (PFPMs).

To encourage stakeholders to engage in the development of PFPMs, Congress also enacted section 101(e)(1) of MACRA, which created PTAC. The statutory mission of PTAC is to make comments and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary, HHS) on proposals for PFPMs submitted to PTAC by individuals and stakeholder entities. MACRA requires the Secretary to review PTAC’s comments and recommendations on submitted proposals and post a detailed response on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website.

As directed by MACRA and indicated in the PTAC Charter, HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) provides operational and technical support to PTAC, and the CMS Office of the Actuary provides actuarial assistance as needed. PTAC’s Bylaws are available online. For further information, please contact PTAC@hhs.gov.

PTAC's Vision Statement

PTAC was created to contribute to a national priority to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the U.S. health care delivery system. We believe that proposed solutions from frontline stakeholders in our delivery system can substantially enhance quality, improve affordability and influence policy development and system transformation. 

PTAC provides a forum where those in the field may directly convey both their ideas and their concerns on how to deliver high-value care for Medicare beneficiaries and others seeking health care services in our nation. PTAC is committed to ensuring our stakeholders have access to independent, expert input and that their perspectives and innovations reach the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

PTAC will continue to submit comments and recommendations regarding physician-focused payment models submitted by stakeholders to the Secretary, as required by statute. In addition, we will expand our communications with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and stakeholders to identify opportunities to further inform and prioritize the work CMS, including the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), and other policymakers are undertaking to modernize health care.

- PTAC members, June 2020