Federal Watch
August 24th, 2012
AGS is tracking developments of interest to geriatrics health professionals in order to provide weekly updatesfor our readers via our List Serv, americangeriatrics.org, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed. This week, we share news on the Congressional Budget Office’s projection of Medicare spending growth, a CMS initiativeto enhance primary care, as well as a run‐down of the varying positions that the Obama and Romneycampaigns have on Medicare. We also remind you about an upcoming CMS input forum on ACO educationalopportunities as well as a CER‐related funding opportunity through the NIA. Finally, we encourage you to take action by contacting your legislators, and urging them to fully address and put an end to the flawed SGR formula.
Congressional Budget Office says that Medicare Spending Growth is Slower than Expected
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), although Medicare will take up a larger share of theeconomy in a decade than it does now, spending growth is slowing. CBO analysts have observed that theslower growth in Medicare is consistent with slower health care cost growth throughout the economy;however they are still unclear why the slowdown is happening. As you know, physicians face a 27 percent cutin Medicare payments next year unless lawmakers forestall the hit. Congress historically has acted totemporarily avoid such cuts through the flawed sustainable growth rate formula. CBO said that holdingMedicare physician payment rates at current levels next year would cost $10 billion, and a total of $245 billionif they were left unchanged through 2022. To read more, please visit here.
CMS Launches Initiative to Strengthen Primary Care and Care Coordination
Earlier this week, CMS announced that 500 primary care practices in seven regions have been selected toparticipate in the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, which was created by the Affordable Care Act. Aspart of the initiative, CMS will pay primary care practices a care management fee, currently set at an averageof $20 per beneficiary per month, to support care coordination services for Medicare fee‐for‐servicebeneficiaries. To read more, please visit here.
Competing Medicare Positions
As the Romney and Obama campaigns continue to spar over Medicare politics, news outlets examine thequestions in play. Kaiser Health News has a weekly run‐down of top stories from various media outletscovering this issue. You may visit here to see for yourself.
REMINDERS:
Upcoming Open Door Forum: Seeking Input on ACO Educational Opportunities
The Center for Medicare and & Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center) is seeking input from interested stakeholders and the public on how educational opportunities for providers interested in participating in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) or other coordinated care initiatives could be designed. An Open Door Forum on this topic has been scheduled for Monday, August 27. The ACA requires the Innovation Center to consult with clinical and analytical experts with expertise in medicine and health care management and other interested parties when developing payment and service delivery models for testing. As a growing number of organizations are participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program or ACO arrangements in the private sector, the Innovation Center is seeking input on educational opportunities for providers who are interested in learning more about ACOs. Below you may find more information:
- What: Open Door Forum: Seeking Input on ACO Educational Opportunities
- When: Monday, August 27, 2012 1:00pm – 3:00pm ET
- How to Participate: Call the number below 5-10 minutes before the beginning of the Open Door Forum
Phone Number: (866) 501-5502 / Conference ID: 1602701
The National Institute on Aging Invites Applicants to Help Continue CER Research
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has announced a new grant opportunity titled “Secondary Analyses of Comparative Effectiveness, Health Outcomes and Costs in Persons with Multiple Chronic Conditions (R21”). This federal grant is the next step in NIA’s continued work to advance the research agenda for multiple chronic conditions. For information on the new grant, you may visit: grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-13-003.html. The application deadline is October 11, 2013. Any questions can go to:
Marcel Salive, MD, MPH
Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology
Phone: 301-496-6761
Email: marcel.salive@nih.gov
What AGS Did This Week
The AGS continues to be hard at work developing comments and feedback to submit to CMS on the ProposedPhysician Fee Schedule for CY 2013. We are currently developing recommendations and extensive commentson specific proposals contained in the proposed rule. Final comments are due on September 4, 2012, and wewill be sure to share our letter upon submission.
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: August 27th, 2012
