Federal Watch
September 7th, 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 provide a summary of the final rule for Stage 2 of the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program. We also remind you about a CER-related funding opportunity through the NIA. Finally, we share our latest efforts, including AGS’ comments on the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, 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.
CMS Releases Final Rule for Stage 2 EHR Incentive Programs; AGS Summary Now Available
CMS has just published the Final Rule for Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. HHS has pared down how much providers will depend on patients to meet the second-stage requirements of the multi-billion program to encourage the use of electronic health records. The Final Rule also addresses a number of concerns that had been raised since the agency put out the proposed rule in May, which AGS commented on. It also finalized an accommodation to hospitals and doctors who said it would have been hard to gear up for an expanded set of reporting requirements in 2014. AGS’ regulatory consultants at Arnold and Porter LLP have put together this summary, which highlights many of the changes that directly reflect comments from AGS.
REMINDERS:
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 submitted its comments on the Calendar Year 2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule. In our letter, AGS commented extensively on CMS’ Transition of Care Management (TCM) proposal, expressing our appreciation of CMS’ proposal to pay for post-discharge TMC services provided by community professionals. We strongly recommended that CMS implement the new payment in 2013, but also provided detailed recommendations regarding how CMS should implement and pay for the new code. We also urged CMS to implement the CPT codes for Complex Care Coordination (CCC) services in CY 2013. Additional AGS comments focused on Advanced Primary Care Practices and CMS’ value-based payment and quality reporting proposals. To read our full letter, click here.
In a related effort, AGS also collaborated with 8 other societies in a joint letter to CMS commenting on theTransition of Care Management (TCM) and Complex Chronic Care Coordination (CCCC) proposals included in the Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule for CY 2013. Additional signees included AMDA‐Dedicated to Long Term Care Medicine, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Home Care Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and American Thoracic Society. The full letter can be found 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: September 7th, 2012
