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HBMA Washington Report – June Issue

Washington Report – June, 2018
(Covers activity between 6/1/18 and 6/30/18)
Bill Finerfrock, Matt Reiter, Sarah Wilson and Carolyn Bounds

Washington Report – June Issue

  • HBMA GR Committee Holds Annual Visit to CMS and Washington, D.C.
  • 2017 MIPS Performance Feedback is Available via EIDM Accounts
  • CAQH Index Shows Billions in Potential Savings Remain from Transition to Electronic   Transactions
  • Department of Labor Issues Association Health Plan Final Rule
  • Social Security Number Removal Initiative Update
  • CMS Publishes FY 2019 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Codes
  • CMS to Again Include QMB Status on Remittance Advice
  • CMS Publishes 2017 Open Payments Data
  • HHS Throws Cold Water on Physician-Focused Payment Models
  • CMS Solicits Public Input on how to Reform Physician Self-referral Law
  • MedPAC Suggests Ten Percent Increase for E&M Payments
  • 2018 Trustees Report Projects Accelerated Timeline for Hospital Trust Fund Insolvency
  • House Passes Series of Opioid Bills
  • CMS Creates First Medicaid and CHIP “Scorecard”
  • DOJ Boasts Largest Annual Fraud Takedown to Date
  • Federal Court Blocks Kentucky’s Medicaid Work Requirement
  • CMS Transmittals
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HBMA Washington Report – March Issue

Washington Report – March, 2018
(Covers activity between 3/1/18 and 3/31/18)
Bill Finerfrock, Matt Reiter, Nathan Baugh, Ryan Mash and Carolyn Bounds

Washington Report – March Issue

  • HBMA GR Committee Holds Conference Call with ONC to Discuss EHR Burden Reduction
  • Congress Passes FY 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
  • CMS Announces New Patient Data Initiatives
  • MedPAC Recommends Eliminating MIPS but Congress is Unlikely to Act on Proposal in 2018
  • CMS Holds Listening Session on Updating Evaluation and Management Guidelines
  • Reminder: CMS Will Begin Issuing New Medicare Cards to Beneficiaries in April
  • MedPAC Analysis: Physician Payment Rates and Access to Care are “Adequate”
  • Administration Releases Initial 2018 ACA Enrollment Report
  • CMS Will Automatically Reprocess Claims Impacted By Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018
  • House Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on MACRA and Physician Payments
  • Cigna Acquiring Express Scripts
  • Arkansas Becomes Third State to Implement Medicaid Work Requirements
  • CMS Transmittals
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MedPAC votes to cut payments for free-standing ERs

By Virgil Dickson  | April 5, 2018
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission voted unanimously to cut reimbursement for some stand-alone emergency departments in urban areas. The proposal could save Medicare up to $250 million annually if adopted by Congress.

Hospital industry stakeholders immediately slammed the idea, arguing the cuts could undermine access to care.