Private Fee-for-Service Plan

Acronym: PFFS

Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) is defined as an MA plan that pays providers of services at a rate determined by the plan on a fee-for-service basis without placing the provider at financial risk; does not vary the rates for a provider based on the utilization of that provider's services; and does not restrict enrollees' choices among providers who are lawfully authorized to provide services and agree to accept the plan's terms and conditions of payment. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) added that although payment rates cannot vary based solely on utilization of services by a provider, a PFFS plan is permitted to vary the payment rates for a provider based on the specialty of the provider, the location of the provider, or other factors related to the provider that are not related to utilization. Furthermore, MIPPA also allows PFFS plans to increase payment rates to a provider based on increased utilization of specified preventive or screening services. See section 30.4 of the Medicare Managed Care Manual Chapter 1 for further details on PFFS plans.