LEGISLATIVE NEWS-ON THE HILL
MEDICARE NEWS
FDA NEWS
ICD-10 NEWS
UPCOMING CALLS
EYEPAC
Physician Groups To Testify at July 11 Senate Roundtable on Medicare Physician Payment Reform
On July 11, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a roundtable on ways to fix the Medicare physician payment formula titled “Medicare Physician Payments: Perspectives from Physicians.” The following organizations will be testifying at the roundtable: American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American College of Cardiology, and the American Society of Clinical Oncologists.
The roundtable is the third and final in a series of hearings focused on Medicare physician payment and potential reforms that could be implemented to address the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula and current payment system.
2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Proposed Rules to be Released Today
Medicare’s proposed 2013 MPFS and ASC payment rates and policies will be released later this evening. ASCRS will notify its members via a regulatory email alert, which will include pertinent highlights from each rule. We will provide more in-depth analysis in future editions of Washington Watch Weekly. For more information, contact Jenny Liljeberg, associate director of regulatory affairs, at jliljeberg@ascrs.org
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Proposes Long-Awaited Unique Device Identifier Rule
On July 3, the FDA released a proposed rule that would require most medical devices distributed in the U.S. to carry a Unique Device Identifier (UDI). With certain exceptions, under the proposed rule, a UDI would include a device identifier, which is a unique numeric or alphanumeric code specific to a device model, and a production identifier, which includes the current production information for a device, focusing on the highest-risk medical devices first and exempting low-risk devices from some or all of the requirements. The FDA is proposing to exempt over-the-counter devices sold at retail; these devices generally have UPC codes in place.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Posts Continuing Medical Education (CME) Module for ICD-10 Implementation
In June, CMS posted three CME modules regarding ICD-10 implementation to Medscape:
"ICD-10: A Guide for Small and Medium Practices": www.medscape.org/viewarticle/766192
"ICD-10: A Guide for Large Practices": www.medscape.org/viewarticle/766145
"Transition to ICD-10: Getting Started” : www.medscape.org/viewarticle/765754
Please visit the ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare and to download and share the implementation widget.
National Provider Call: Medicare Shared Savings Program and Advance Payment Model Application Process—Monday, July 16, 1:30-3:00 PM EDT
On October 20, 2011, CMS issued a final rule under the Affordable Care Act to establish the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program), along with a notice for the Advance Payment Model that will provide additional support to physician-led and rural Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) participating in the Shared Savings Program.
On Monday, July 16, 2012, CMS is hosting a National Provider Call, where subject matter experts will provide an overview and updates to the Shared Savings Program application and Advance Payment Model application processes for the January 1, 2013, Shared Savings Program start date. A question and answer session will follow the presentations.
The Shared Savings Program Application and the Advance Payment Model web pages have important information, dates, and materials on the application process. Call participants are encouraged to review the applications and materials prior to the call.
Make Your 2012 eyePAC Contribution Today
On May 22, all ASCRS members who have not contributed to eyePAC in 2012 were asked to make their annual contribution. You can make your contribution online at the ASCRS web site by going to Government Relations and clicking on eyePAC in the drop-down box or clicking here to download a contribution form to fax back. Thank you in advance for making a contribution. If you have questions, please contact ASCRS PAC/Grassroots Specialist Gerrie Gray-Benedi at
703-591-2220 or by email at gbenedi@ascrs.org.
To find out more about the articles in this communication or to read more about legislative and regulatory issues that affect you and your practice, visit the ASCRS and ASOA websites. You can also visit http://www.specialtydocs.org/, the web site of the Alliance of Specialty Medicine.
© 2012 ASCRS/ASOA