Federal Watch

December 14th, 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 ask for your assistance by urging your legislators to oppose eliminating the Medicaid bonus payment for primary care providers.  Also, for your reference, we have enclosed a useful toolkit that explains the role of SGR in the impending “Fiscal Cliff” deal.  In addition, we share a sign-on letter to leaders of the House and Senate that addresses the danger of sequestering funds.  Lastly, we ask that you contact your legislators, urging them to support several important pieces of legislation that are critical to geriatrics health providers and their patients, such as the repeal of the SGR and comprehensive Medicare payment and delivery reform, and the across-the-board cuts, or “sequester” scheduled for January 1.  Please visit our Health in Aging Advocacy Center to learn more about these issues and to contact your members of Congress directly. 

Urge Your Members of Congress to Oppose Eliminating the Medicaid Bonus Payment for Primary Care Providers
AGS is seeking your assistance to oppose a recent proposal from House Republicans that would eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid pay increase for primary care providers.  The payment, which is scheduled to take effect January 1, ensures that Medicaid payments for eligible physician services throughout the country are at parity with Medicare.  Such potential cuts to Medicaid payments would seriously undermine the quality of care delivered to our nation’s most vulnerable seniors.  Through our Health in Aging Advocacy Center, you can take action today and urge your members to oppose elimination of the Medicaid primary care payment increase.  

New Toolkit - The Sustainable Growth Rate: Seeking a ‘Doc Fix’ at the Edge of a Fiscal Cliff
The Alliance for Health Reform has developed a useful toolkit that tells you what you need to know about the current policy debate surrounding the $244 billion Medicare physician payment problem – the "doc fix." The public is keeping a close eye on efforts to stop the federal government from going over the "fiscal cliff," a scenario that could include automatic spending cuts as well as the expiration of a variety of tax cuts. Yet one component of the fiscal cliff has been largely ignored - the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR).  The Toolkit includes:

• An explanation of the SGR issue and the current state of play
• Links to news articles and reports explaining and analyzing the problem and proposals
• Contact information for leading experts on the issue

To download the toolkit, click here.

AGS Sign On: Letter Addresses Dangers of Sequestering Funds to Congress
AGS lent our support to a sign-on letter to House and Senate leadership which discusses the dangers of sequestering funds for a variety of federal health programs, including graduate medical education, public health, and research programs. Click here to view this letter.  

REMINDER: 

Quality Reporting Communication Support Page Officially Re-Opened through January 31, 2013 for Medicare 2013 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Payment Adjustment Hardship Exemption Requests
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has re-opened the Quality Reporting Communication Support Page to allow individual eligible professionals and CMS-selected group practices the opportunity to request a significant hardship exemption for the 2013 eRx payment adjustment. Significant hardship request should be submitted via the Quality Reporting Communication Support Page on or between now and January 31, 2013. CMS will review these requests on a case-by-case basis. All decisions on significant hardship exemption requests will be final.  Important -- Please note that this is for the 2013 eRx payment adjustment only. Hardship exemption requests for the 2014 payment adjustment will be accepted during a separate timeframe later in calendar year 2013.  For more information on how to navigate the Communication Support Page, please reference the following documents: 

• Quality Reporting Communication Support Page User Guide
• Tips for Using the Quality Reporting Communication Support Page 

For additional information and resources, please visit http://www.CMS.gov/ERxIncentive. 

How You Can Help 
In addition to opposing elimination of the Medicaid bonus payment for primary care providers, AGS is seeking your assistance around the following important initiatives: 

• Across-the-board cuts, or “sequester” scheduled for January 1 as mandated by the Budget Control Act (BCA).  Please take action on this important campaign and let your legislators know how these cuts to discretionary funding would affect services for older adults and the supply of qualified professionals available to care for them. 

• Repeal of the SGR and comprehensive Medicare payment and delivery reform.  AGS also encourages you to contact your members of Congress 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: December 14th, 2012