Current Status
After a brief government shutdown in early 2018, Dr. Worthing is hopeful that a budget-neutral fix that will not penalize specialties, such as rheumatology, or limit patient access to critical drugs can be attached to the next continuing resolution (CR), which must pass by Feb. 8 to avoid another shutdown in lieu of a final budget. As of the time this article was written, the fix had not been included in the new CR package.
The CMS is analyzing MIPS data now and, by midsummer, will inform physicians whether they will see a positive or negative adjustment in 2019. Congress must act now, Dr. Worthing says, to allow the CMS to change its adjustment modeling.
“Those (clinicians) with a penalty will be highly incentivized against providing Part B drugs in the office,” says Dr. Worthing. “Their patients may be forced to receive medicines at less convenient or more expensive sites of service, or change medicines entirely.”
What You Can Do
Individual physicians can take action by contacting their elected representatives in Congress and requesting a fix. This can be achieved through a variety of means, including via the ACR’s Legislative Action Center. Rheumatologists and health professionals who are members of the ACR or ARHP may also donate to the nonpartisan lobbying arm of the ACR, RheumPAC. Additionally, Dr. Worthing says, rheumatologists can invite their Congressional delegates to their clinics—particularly those with infusion centers—so lawmakers and their staff “can see firsthand the kinds of medical services their constituents are receiving—and that they are at risk of losing.
“We think this strong chorus of voices will help push Congress to act,” Dr. Worthing says.
Kelly April Tyrrell writes about health, science and health policy. She lives in Madison, Wis.
Reference
- American College of Rheumatology. Submission to House Committee on Ways and Means and House Committee on Energy and Commerce [letter]. 2018 Jan 18.
