How are post-acute care providers integrated into bundled payment structures?

• A. They participate in the episode's cost; cost and quality performance are shared across settings and providers within the bundle.
• B. They are outside the bundle and not shared costs.
• C. They provide only separate quality metrics.
• D. They participate but cannot share costs.

Answer: (A)

Bundled payment structures wrap a defined episode of care into a single payment and attach accountability for both cost and quality across all involved settings, including post-acute care. This means post-acute care providers share in the episode’s total spend and in performance outcomes, regardless of where services occur. The incentive is to coordinate care, reduce unnecessary services, and ensure smooth transitions after acute care to keep costs down while maintaining quality.

Why this is the best fit: the whole point of bundling is to spread financial responsibility and quality results across the entire episode, not to isolate post-acute care or separate costs from outcomes. If post-acute care were outside the bundle or only quality metrics were shared, or if costs could not be shared, the incentive alignment across the care continuum would be incomplete, defeating the purpose of a single, integrated payment.