“This could include using lower-cost medications, avoiding routine MRIs or avoiding joint surgery for patients by managing their condition better. These are all opportunities to have a significant reduction in cost,” said Mr. Miller.
Primary care physicians (PCPs) may function, and be paid, as the accountable medical home for some arthritis patients, but a medical neighborhood of specialists, including rheumatologists, may need to work with the PCP to properly diagnose and treat these patients. For patients with serious conditions, rheumatologists may need to serve as the medical home, said Mr. Miller.
Rheumatologists can help develop payment models designed to work for their subspecialty, he said. In closing Dr. Harvey noted that the ACR is doing exactly this type of work to explore creation of a rheumatology-specific APM in order to help position rheumatologists for success under MACRA.
Missed This Important Session?
If you were unable to attend the session, Holy MACRA! How to Survive and Thrive in the New Era of MACRA, MIPS, and APMs, during the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, catch it now on SessionSelect.
Susan Bernstein is a freelance medical journalist based in Atlanta.
Note: Review the ACR’s comments to CMS on the final rule.
