Various medical groups are imploring CMS to postpone Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 as the "complex" system may result in penalties for providers failing to meet CMS' standards, according to MedPage Today.
Under MACRA, physicians can participate in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System or the Alternative Payment Models. MIPS consists of a weighted score of quality, resource use, meaningful use and practice improvement scores. Physicians have the opportunity to receive financial bonuses if they obtain good quality outcomes. However, many may face penalties if they fail to meet CMS' requirements.
Here are five points:
1. American Academy of Family Physicians Chair Robert Wergin, MD, argued as it currently stands, MARCA is not thoughtful, simple or careful enough to ensure physicians' success. Dr. Wergin referred to MACRA as "overly complex and burdensome to our members" in a letter to CMS.
2. While the American Osteopathic Association is hopeful MACRA could yield promising results, they are concerned over alternative payment models' narrow definition. APMS do not include patient-centered medical homes, which AOA claims could serve to many providers' detriment.
3. Originally, CMS proposed creating "virtual groups" which would allow small practices to work together and bring in more patients. However, CMS could not finalize the details of the virtual groups, which would have enabled practices to pool resources. The AOA is optimistic CMS will include such virtual groups in its final rule.
4. Additionally, both the AAFP and AAOA are imploring CMS to delay quality measure tracking. MACRA currently would require tracking to begin in January 2017.
5. The American Nurses Association claims MACRA excludes advanced practice registered nurses, in that MIPS has a "a substantial roadblock with the size limit," Peter McMenamim, PhD, ANA member, said. To be eligible for MIPS, providers have to have 100 Medicare Part B patients and at least $10,000 in Medicare charges.
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