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:…
RheumPAC Advances Policy Issues of Rheumatology Professionals
Our elected officials make decisions every day that affect our lives and the lives of our patients. These decisions are often based on input they have received from advocates and lobbyists, constituents and fellow lawmakers. Regardless of our ideals, money plays a role in this decision making, because political contributions facilitate access to legislators and…
2016 ACR/ARHP Pre-Meeting Educational Workshops to Cover MACRA, Merit-Based Incentive and Alternative Payment Models
Looking for a reason to attend the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, which will be held Nov. 11–16 in Washington, D.C.? This monumental meeting will offer a variety of sessions on MACRA/MIPS/APMs, Medicare Value-Based Payment Reform programs, auditing, compliance and coding. Particularly, the pre-meeting workshops will provide you with the unique opportunity to dive deep into…
Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) Registry Can Help Rheumatologists Meet MACRA Requirements
The ACR has been at the forefront of helping rheumatologists meet practice demands, including federal reporting requirements. The first registry that helped meet these requirements was the Rheumatology Clinical Registry (RCR), and it facilitated quality reporting, but required manual entry of required data. More recently, ACR has contracted with FIGmd to create a tool that…
The ACR’s Current Healthcare Policy Priorities
The ACR advocates on behalf of rheumatologists, rheumatology health professionals and the rheumatology community through involvement in federal and state legislation and regulatory action, participation in hearings and education of lawmakers on issues important to rheumatologists, health professionals and patients. Through robust federal and state advocacy programs, the ACR engages lawmakers and informs them of…
The ACR’s Legislative Action Center Ensures Rheumatology’s Voice Is Heard in Washington
It’s easier than ever to become a part of advocacy efforts at the federal and state levels. Visit the ACR’s new Legislative Action Center to send a personalized message to your lawmakers, asking them to give patients access to treatments, to provide funding for biomedical research and to prevent insurer practices from interfering with treatment…
Why Universal Access to Healthcare Isn’t a Constitutional Right, It’s Just Plain Fair
One rheumatologist forms his opinion on the topic while fly fishing on rivers in Missouri