Health and Human Services (HHS)

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Medicare/Medicaid Reform and ACA Repeal on the Horizon, MACRA Moves Forward for Now

The new administration’s agenda for health care may have come into clearer focus with President-Elect Donald Trump’s nomination of House Representative Tom Price, MD, a Republican from Georgia, as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Seema Verma, MPH, as CMS Administrator. The American Medical Association (AMA) released a statement of strong support for Congressman Price, encouraging a swift confirmation vote. “Dr. Price,” the AMA said, “has been a leader in the development of health policies to advance patient choice and market-based solutions as well as reduce excessive regulatory burdens that diminish time devoted to patient care and increase costs.”Continue Reading President-Elect Trump Names Rep. Tom Price, MD (R-GA) as HHS Secretary, Seema Verma, Health Care Consultant, as CMS Administrator

On October 14, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final rule implementing the new Quality Payment Program for physicians in lieu of the repealed sustainable growth rate factor (SGR). Rather than facing substantial annual reductions in Medicare payment fees as a result of the SGR, physicians now have two interrelated pathways to earn quality-based, cost efficient incentive payments under Medicare:  the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs). MIPS consolidates three existing quality-based incentives programs – the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Physician Value-based Payment Modifier (VM), and the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program – while maintaining an ongoing focus on achieving quality and cost efficiencies through use of certified EHR technology (CEHRT).
Continue Reading CMS publishes Final MACRA Rule for MIPS and APM Incentives

Physicians subject to the Rule must meet notice and posting obligations by October 16, 2016.

The federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR), has published its final Rule implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 42 U.S.C. 18116, prohibiting discrimination in health care programs and activities. The new Rule, like Section 1557, specifically focuses its prohibitions and requirements on four already existing federal nondiscrimination laws: 1) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color and national origin; 2) the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; 3) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and, 4) the sex discrimination provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (extended by Section 1557 to health care). Section 1557 is in addition to rights and remedies available under these four laws. While the nondiscrimination prohibitions of Section 1557 have been in effect since passage of the ACA in March of 2010, this final Rule advises health care consumers of their Section 1557 rights and informs affected health care programs and activities of their Section 1557 obligations.Continue Reading Hhs’ Final Nondiscrimination Rule Impacts Most Physicians

HHS sets percentage targets for a Medicare value-based payment system — emphasis on ACOs/bundled payments/integrated care –

HHS calls for coordinated design across all payment sectors.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell announced last week that HHS will expand upon current efforts in transforming Medicare’s fee-for-service (FFS) payment system from one that…