Federal Watch

January 11th, 2013

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 share with you the recent AMA letter that AGS supported regarding gun violence and access to mental health services in the U.S.  In addition, we share exciting news out of HHS, that providers across the nation have formed 106 new ACOs.  Separately, we remind our physician members of the Jan. 31 deadline to request exemption from the e-prescribing penalty, and additionally inform you about The Joint Commission’s new Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Accreditation program.  Lastly, we ask that you please visit our Health in Aging Advocacy Center to urge your members of Congress to permanently replace the flawed Medicare physician payment formula and protect access to care for our nation's frail older adults. 

AGS Signs Letter Addressing Gun Violence in U.S.
On January 8, the American Medical Association (AMA) submitted a letter to President Obama, as well as to leaders of both the House and Senate, addressing gun violence in the wake of the tragic school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. The letter was co-signed by 50 medical organizations, including the AGS. The letter stresses the importance of better access to mental health treatment, and places strong emphasis for a nation-wide educational campaign that reduces the stigma of seeking mental health services. To read more, you can view the letter here.

More doctors and Hospitals Partner to Coordinate Care for Medicare Beneficiaries
HHS recently announced that doctors and healthcare providers across the country have formed 106 new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in Medicare, ensuring that as many as 4 million Medicare beneficiaries now have access to high-quality, coordinated care. Healthcare providers can establish ACOs in order to work together to provide higher-quality care to their patients. Since passage of the Affordable Care Act, more than 250 Accountable Care Organizations have been established. Beneficiaries using ACOs have the freedom to choose doctors inside or outside of the ACO. ACOs share with Medicare any savings generated from lowering the growth in health care costs, while meeting standards for quality of care.  Federal savings from this initiative could be up to $940 million over four years. The recent group of new ACOS announced includes 15 Advance Payment Model ACOs, physician-based or rural providers who would benefit from greater access to capital to invest in staff, electronic health record systems, or other infrastructure required to improve care coordination.  In total, Medicare’s ACO partners will serve more than 4 million beneficiaries nationwide.

For more information on the HHS issue brief, “Growth in Medicare Spending per Beneficiary Continues to Hit Historic Lows,” visit here. The next application period for organizations that wish to participate in the Shared Savings Program beginning in January 2014 is summer 2013.  More information about the Shared Savings Program is available here.

Deadline to Request Exemption from ePrescribing Penalty is Jan. 31
Physicians who were unable to file for a Medicare ePrescribing hardship exemption by the original deadline have until Jan. 31, 2013 to avoid the 1.5 percent payment penalty in 2013.  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has re-opened the Communications Support Web page to allow physicians who missed the June 30, 2012 deadline to file for an exemption.  Physicians may request a waiver of the 2013 penalty under any of the following categories: 

• The physician is unable to ePrescribe as a result of local, state or federal law or regulation.
• The physician wrote fewer than 100 prescriptions during the period of Jan. 1–June 30, 2012.
• The physician practices in a rural area that doesn't have sufficient high-speed Internet access.
• The physician practices in an area that doesn't have enough pharmacies that can do ePrescribing.

CMS also added two hardship categories for those participating in Medicare’s electronic health record meaningful use program. Physicians do not need to apply for an exemption related to these meaningful use hardship categories; CMS will automatically determine whether physicians meet those requirements.

Visit the CMS ePrescribing Web page to learn more. 

The Joint Commission Debuts New Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Accreditation
The Joint Commission recently announced its new Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Accreditation program, and for the first time is offering a Rehabilitation and Advanced Care Certification option. The Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Accreditation program, which replaces the Long Term Care Accreditation program, is designed to help providers achieve, maintain and demonstrate excellence in the services they provide. Both the accreditation program and certification option are the products of a year-long reinvention project which gathered input from consumers, providers, payers and other stakeholders. The reinvented standards, survey process, and certification option will be effective on July 1, 2013. To read more, you may click here.

How You Can Help 

Repeal of the SGR and comprehensive Medicare payment and delivery reform.
AGS launched a public policy advocacy campaign asking members of Congress to fix the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Formula that continues to mandate cuts in Medicare payments year after year.  Recently, Congress reached an agreement to postpone the impending 27% payment through the end of 2013. Although the recent deal provides a temporary patch to these cuts, AGS is deeply disappointed that lawmakers have missed an opportunity to permanently replace the flawed Medicare physician payment formula and protect access to care for our nation's frail older adults.  We encourage 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: January 11th, 2013