Alternative Payment Model 1 (APM 1)
Calendar year (CY) 2025 was the final program year for APM 1. Starting in CY 2026, the Accountable Care Collaborative (ACC) Phase III Quality Program serves as the replacement quality model for APM 1 within the Primary Care Payment Structure, through which providers earn incentive payments based on quality measure performance. This webpage outlines current operations for APM 1.
The Alternative Payment Model for Primary Care (APM) is part of the Department's efforts to shift from paying for volume to paying for value across the entire delivery system. The APM is designed to support primary care providers through this shift. The Department, in close collaboration with stakeholders, has developed three goals for the APM:
- Provide long-term, sustainable investments into primary care,
- Reward performance and introduce accountability for outcomes and access to care while granting flexibility of choice to providers, and,
- Align with other payment reforms across the delivery system.
Under the APM, the Department will adjust payments to primary care providers based on the providers' performance. Progress within this framework not only encourages higher organizational performance but also helps the Accountable Care Collaborative (ACC) achieve its programmatic goals. For an overview of the APM 1 program please watch the APM 101 Webinar
Who Can Participate?
Primary Care Medical Providers (PCMPs) who serve at least 500 attributed ACC enrollees are automatically enrolled in APM 1. Practices may petition HCPF to decline participation if they have insufficient data available to measure quality performance. PCMPs who do not participate in APM 1 will not see a change in their reimbursement rates as a result of opting-out.
FQHCs are eligible to participate in APM 1. All FQHCs are automatically enrolled in the program
Program Resources
- 2025 APM 1 Guidebook
- 2025 APM 1 Annual Updates Appendix to Guidebook
- 2025 APM 1 Measure Selection Workbook - This workbook is no longer available on the APM 1 webpage. If you need access to a 2025 APM 1 Measure Selection Workbook, please contact Dawson LaRance (Dawson.LaRance@state.co.us)
Quality Measures
Administrative Measure Specifications: Please view the 20243 Technical Specifications Resource Manual for administrative measure specifications, and the Value Set Directory for measure codes, as published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Note that to access the Technical Specifications Resource Manual, you must accept the license agreement.
eCQM Measure Specifications
- CMS 2 Preventive Care and Screening: Screening for Depression and Follow-Up Plan
- CMS 117 Childhood Immunization Status
- CMS 122 Diabetes: Glycemic Status Assessment Great Than 9%
- CMS 124 Cervical Cancer Screening
- CMS 125 Breast Cancer Screening
- CMS 128 Antidepressant Medication Management
- CMS 130 Colorectal Cancer Screening
- CMS 153 Chlamydia Screening for Women
- CMS 165 Controlling High Blood Pressure
APM 1 Sunset and Transition Update
APM 1 officially sunset December 30th, 2025 and will no longer be used to measure Primary Care Medical Provider (PCMP) performance after that time. APM 1 will continue to operate as usual throughout Program Year 2025 (PY25). Quality measurement activities, point scoring, and rate change processes will follow the guidelines detailed in the 2025 APM 1 Guidebook. The Department is committed to preserving stability during this final year of APM 1 and will ensure timely communication of any updates or procedural reminders related to scoring, notifications, and payment adjustments.
In CY 2026, the ACC 3.0 Quality Program fully replaces APM 1 as the Department’s primary quality model for primary care providers. For more information about the ACC 3.0 Quality Program please refer to the ACC Phase III Quality Program Guide and ACC Provider and Stakeholder Resource Center.
Program Year 2025 Stakeholder Engagement
In 2024, the Department undertook a multifaceted stakeholder engagement process to support the redesign of our Primary Care APMs and prepare for the transition to ACC 3.0. Although there were no dedicated APM 1-specific stakeholder forums this year, the Department leveraged feedback from the APM Redesign stakeholder workgroup meetings conducted during the first half of 2024. Additionally, the Department considered the feedback received from stakeholder engagement sessions held in preparation for the launch of ACC 3.0.
To ensure alignment between the current Primary Care APMs and the future framework of ACC 3.0, the Department implemented minor adjustments to the APM 1 program for 2025. These updates were designed to facilitate a smoother transition into the next phase of the ACC. As part of the engagement strategy, the Department hosted an APM Office Hours session, inviting all APM 1 participants to discuss program updates and share feedback on the changes and the upcoming transition to ACC 3.0. For detailed information on the 2024 APM Office Hours and associated materials, please refer to the documents below.
Contact Information
Email HCPF_primarycarepaymentreform@state.co.us for more information about the program.