Federal Watch
June 15th, 2012
AGS is tracking developments of interest to geriatrics health professionals in order to provide weekly updates for our readers via our List Serv, americangeriatrics.org, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed. This week, we update you on the success of the Affordable Care Act, as it has delivered free preventative services to over 14 million Medicare beneficiaries during the first 5 months in 2012, we apprise you of a new opportunity to apply to become an advance payment ACO model, as well as the latest on a new appropriations bill that has been approved by the Senate Labor-HHS-Education- Appropriations Subcommittee. Finally, we share further news on AGS’s most recent activities, and encourage you to take action by contacting your legislators, and urging them to fully address and put an end to the flawed SGR formula.
Healthcare Law Delivers Free Preventative Services to Over 14 Million People with Medicare in 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Affordable Care Act helped 14.3 million people with original Medicare get at least one preventive service at no cost to them during the first five months of 2012. This includes 1.1 million who have taken advantage of the Annual Wellness Visit provided by the Affordable Care Act. In 2011, 32.5 million people in Medicare received one or more preventive benefits free of charge. One of the major goals of the Affordable Care Act is to help people stay healthy by giving them the tools they need to take charge of their own health and prevent health problems before they happen.
Prior to 2011, people with Medicare faced cost-sharing for many preventive benefits such as cancer screenings. Under the Affordable Care Act, preventive benefits are offered free of charge to beneficiaries, with no deductible or co-pay, so that cost is no longer a barrier for seniors who want to stay healthy and treat problems early. The law also added an important new service for people with Medicare — an Annual Wellness Visit with the doctor of their choice— at no cost to beneficiaries. For more information, please visit here.
Advance Payment ACO Model: New Opportunity to Apply
The Advance Payment ACO Model is an Innovation Center initiative for participants in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. It’s designed for physician-based and rural providers who have come together voluntarily to give coordinated high quality care to the Medicare patients they serve. Through the Advance Payment ACO Model, selected participants will receive upfront and monthly payments, which they can use to make important investments in their care coordination infrastructures. Applications will be accepted on the July 1, 2012 start date. However, the Innovation Center has now announced that beginning August 1, 2012, it will be accepting applications for an additional round of Advance Payment ACOs that would begin on January 1, 2013.
Organizations interested in the Advance Payment ACO Model should start their application process by submitting a Notice of Intent to apply for the Medicare Shared Savings Program performance period that begins January 1, 2013. This Notice of Intent is due June 29, 2012. Organizations that submit this NOI will then have the opportunity to submit applications to both the Medicare Shared Savings Program and the Advance Payment ACO Model.
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Labor-HHS Spending Bill
The full Senate Appropriations Committee approved by a vote of 16-14 the FY 2013 spending bill for Labor, HHS, and Education programs. The bill is about $2 billion more than Fiscal Year 2012 and about equal to President Obama’s budget request. Highlights of the bill aim to improve fiscal accountability for healthcare program integrity, and promote innovation and disease prevention. The committee prepared a summary which can be accessed here. AGS will provide further details regarding funding of Title VII and VIII geriatrics workforce training programs and the National Institute on Aging as they become available.
What AGS Did This Week
AGS reviewed and commented on The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed regulation on Medicaid Payments for services furnished by certain primary care physicians. The proposed rule seeks to implement a provision in the Affordable Care Act that increases payments for certain primary care services in calendar years 2013 and 2014. To view the AGS comment letter, please click here.
How You Can Help
AGS encourages you to Take Action by visiting AGS’ Health in Aging Advocacy Center. Contact your members of Congress today, and urge them to call for both the repeal of the SGR and comprehensive Medicare payment and delivery reform. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Susie Sherman, Senior Coordinator of Public Affairs & Advocacy, ssherman@americangeriatrics.org.
Modified On: June 15th, 2012
