Consolidated Patient Account Center (CPAC)
About CPAC
CPAC (Consolidated Patient Account Center) is an industry-modeled strategy aimed at enhancing billing and collection activities within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) through the consolidation of traditional revenue program functions into regionalized centers of excellence. Prior to moving forward with the national implementation, the Chief Business Office (CBO) thoroughly assessed the viability of this model within Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 6 in Asheville, North Carolina.
The Mid-Atlantic CPAC (MACPAC) pilot project was a resounding success - generating unprecedented increases in collections, lowering operating costs and establishing best practice performance thresholds throughout VHA. Additionally, this initiative will allow VHA to comply with its Congressional mandate (Public Law 110-387) , which requires VHA to implement the CPAC model nationally. VHA believes that this initiative offers the best opportunity to achieve superior levels of sustained revenue cycle management by deploying industry-proven methods, processes, business tools, and increased accountability at all levels of the organization.
CPAC Facility Locations
In FY 2009, medical center-based business office functions began to transition to seven regional centers across the country. Host locations were selected based on a thorough market analysis of prospective areas within each CPAC region. Each location was rated and ranked on a variety of factors including: existing areas of revenue office consolidation, availability of existing VA owned space, construction costs, cost and availability of commercial real estate, cost of living, local labor market conditions, and the ability to recruit professional and technical staff.
- Mid-Atlantic - Asheville, NC
- Mid-South - Smyrna, TN
- North Central - Madison, WI
- Florida\Caribbean - Orlando, FL
- North East - Lebanon, PA
- Central Plains - Leavenworth, KS
- West - Las Vegas, NV
Implementation Status
Four CPACs are fully operational, including the Mid-Atlantic (2009), North Central (2010), Mid-South (2010), and Florida/Caribbean (2011). Three additional CPACs (North East, Central Plains, and West) will be completed in 2012. There are five steps to implementing a CPAC:
- Pre-Transition Planning - Facility leadership and staff prepare for transition by gathering information, resolving backlogs, and preparing for readiness planning.
- Readiness Planning – A team of evaluators will assess operations at each facility within a VISN. They will identify any issues that could affect implementation and develop a plan for how the facility will prepare.
- Transition of Host VISN – Every regional CPAC will be located within a particular VISN. This host VISN will need to change its operations to fit the CPAC model.
- Transition of Expansion VISNs (if applicable) – Expansion VISNs are the VISNs within a CPAC region that are not serving as host for the CPAC. These VISNs will also need to change operations to fit the CPAC model.
- Stabilize/PI – A short period after transition during which the facilities can stabilize and improve performance.
