A session at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting will help rheumatologists navigate current payment systems and identify resources to ensure appropriate reimbursement for complex care.
ACR Prepares to Submit Rheumatoid Arthritis Alternative Payment Model
The ACR will soon submit the updated Rheumatoid Arthritis Alternative Payment Model to the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee for review and feedback.
Rheumatology Can Use MACRA to Drive Healthcare Improvements
We have entered the second year of the Medicare Access and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015. It’s no secret that the costs of medical care—17.1% of the U.S. gross national product compared with 9.8% in Great Britain, 10.7% in Canada and 11.6% in France—have become an overwhelming driver for change….
The ACR’s 2018 Legislative & Regulatory Priorities
A recent Politico article outlined the looming agenda facing Congress as 2018 begins: Fund the government, raise the debt ceiling, modify spending caps, address healthcare subsidies, allocate additional funds for disaster relief, and address the status of millions of undocumented young immigrants.1 Amid all that activity, the ACR, through its Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and…
AMA Workshop Focuses on Alternative Payment Models
On Oct. 4 in Chicago, the AMA hosted its second workshop on alternative payment models (APMs). The conference room was packed with providers and staff from specialty societies ready to listen to a whole day’s worth of APM presentations from professionals in the field. To kick off the meeting, AMA President-Elect Barbara McAneny, MD, welcomed…
ACR Pushes for Patient Interests, Against Spending Cuts
Greetings from Washington, D.C. Your advocacy team had another busy month. Unlike my prior updates, and in order to keep our focus on health policy, I avoid mentioning anything about Washington investigations into obstruction of justice, collusion, etc. You get enough of that elsewhere. The Healthcare Bill Obamacare repeal and reform efforts are speeding up….
The ACR Is Exploring a Rheumatology-Specific APM
In response to the required changes in reimbursement from fee for service to value-based payment under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, the ACR is exploring development of a rheumatology-specific alternative payment model (APM) for rheumatologists and practices, which would provide an additional option for payment other than the Merit-Based Incentive…
How MACRA Has Affected Physician Compliance
In recent years, providers and practice groups have been worrying about Meaningful Use (MU) and gaining knowledge on using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology to avoid payment penalties, earn incentives and increase practice efficiency. Now, with the release of the final rule for MACRA payment reform, physicians will have two options for payment paths:…
Prepare Now—Not Later—to Meet New Medicare Reimbursement Requirements
Providers are urged to prepare quickly to meet the new Medicare reimbursement requirements mandated by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). “The first measurement year starts Jan. 1, 2017, so providers need to prepare quickly,” emphasizes William F. Harvey, MD, MSc, Government Affairs Committee chair, American College of Rheumatology (ACR). 2…