Ann Kempski’s Post

🚨 Attention Healthcare Professionals! 🚨 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its proposed rule for the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), and it includes a 2.93% average payment rate reduction for physicians. This marks the fifth consecutive year of reduced reimbursement, despite CMS's commitment to advancing health equity and supporting whole-person care. 🔍 Key Points to Consider: - 2.93% Payment Cut: A significant reduction impacting physicians nationwide. - Rising Costs: The Medicare Economic Index (MEI) is projected to increase by 3.6%, widening the gap between payment rates and practice costs. - Long-term Impact: Physicians have faced a 29% decline in Medicare payments since 2001, adjusted for inflation. The American Medical Association (AMA) warns that these repeated cuts threaten patient access to care. It's crucial to address this unsustainable trend to ensure that healthcare providers can continue delivering quality care to patients. 💡 What Can You Do? - Stay informed about these changes and their potential impact on your practice. - Engage with professional organizations and advocacy groups to voice your concerns. - Explore innovative solutions to optimize practice management and efficiency. Together, we can advocate for a more sustainable and equitable healthcare system. Let’s stay connected and support each other in navigating these challenging times. #MEDSCoders #Healthcare #Medicare #PhysicianFeeSchedule #CMS #HealthEquity #PatientCare #MedicalBilling #MedicalCoding #PracticeManagement #Advocacy

🚨 Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Reform Stuck in Congress 🚨 The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2024, a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing transparency and expediting prior authorization in Medicare Advantage, has broad support from lawmakers and healthcare leaders—but its future remains uncertain. With 228 sponsors in the House and 59 in the Senate, this popular measure has the numbers to pass. However, it faces tough competition in a crowded legislative agenda, with Congress focusing on expiring healthcare programs like telehealth extensions and physician pay adjustments. What’s at stake? Patients and Providers: Streamlined prior authorization could reduce delays and administrative burdens, ensuring timely care for seniors. Efficiency Gains: Mandating faster decisions (72 hours for urgent cases, 7 days for non-urgent). While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced similar rules for 2026, this legislation could codify these protections sooner, addressing ongoing frustrations in healthcare delivery. 🩺✨ #MedicareAdvantage #PriorAuthorization

Hot off the press 📣 A thought-provoking piece by Bob Berenson & Kevin Hayes which argues policymakers need to modernize the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, with a particular focus on bolstering primary care, if we're going to succeed on the road to value-based care. "The focus on Alternative Payment Models (APMs) paradoxically has diverted attention from the long-standing need to improve the fee schedule. Congress should consider investing the political and monetary capital needed to modernize the fee schedule to support value-based care delivery. Without such investment and modernization, the fee schedule will continue to work at cross-purposes with APMs aimed at increasing quality, controlling costs, and improving patient and practitioner experience." #valuebasedcare #valuebasedpayment #primarycare

Get the Fact Sheet - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), releases proposed new policies for calendar year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). The proposed rule aims to advance health equity and support whole-person care with several specific sections pertaining to FQHC, and RHC. #CMS #2025MedicareFeeSchedule #2025PhysicianFeeSchedule #2025ProposedRule #Medicare #FQHC #RHC

CMS Proposed Rule for CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule - HIT Consultant Title: CMS Proposed Rule for CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule #Overview The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposed rule for the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The rule includes updates to payment policies, payment rates, and quality provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. #Key Changes CMS is proposing changes to the payment rates for evaluation and management (E/M) services, telehealth services, and other codes. The proposed rule also includes updates to the Quality Payment Program and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). #Telehealth Services The proposed rule would make certain telehealth services permanent beyond the public health emergency. CMS is ai.mediformatica.com #medicare #physician #proposedrule #coding #acceibility #administration #affordability #better #healthcare #healthcaresystem #innovation #january #digitalhealth #healthit #healthtech #healthcaretechnology @MediFormatica (https://buff.ly/3YmLuaD)

CMS Needs to Do a Better Job With Value-Based Care, Experts Tell House Panel — The program has "gotten off track and needs a thorough reevaluation and reformulation," doc says Value-based care -- in which medical practices are paid based on the value of their care, not on volume -- is a good idea but the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) need to improve its implementation, doctors and a healthcare executive told members of the House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee. https://lnkd.in/er4PN6Hi

Dr. Mehmet Oz's recent nomination as the Administrator of #CMS has ignited widespread discussion across the healthcare community. In our latest blog, we dive into the potential ripple effects of this appointment on the future of #MedicareAdvantage and #Medicaid. Key topics covered include: ➡️ Anticipated policy shifts under his leadership ➡️ The future of value-based care initiatives ➡️ Implications for health plans, providers, and patient care Read more: https://shorturl.at/0oGIm

🚨 CMS Finalizes a 2.83% Physician Payment Cut for 2025 🚨 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently finalized a 2.83% cut to physician payment rates for 2025. While CMS intends for this reduction to support long-term healthcare financing, the immediate impact on physicians could be significant. With rising costs and the ever-growing demands on healthcare providers, these payment cuts add an additional layer of financial strain. Here's what this reduction means: ◽ Increased Financial Pressure: Many physicians, especially those in smaller practices, may struggle to absorb this cut, leading to difficult choices about practice size, staff levels, and service offerings. ◽ Impacts on Patient Access: Reduced payments can lead to physician burnout or discourage providers from taking Medicare patients altogether, ultimately limiting access for those most in need. ◽ Long-Term Sustainability Concerns: This cut could impact the sustainability of practices, especially for those in underserved or rural areas already facing resource limitations. Advocating for Change: Physicians deserve fair compensation that reflects the value they bring to patient care. It's critical to support policies that ensure sustainable payment structures and protect both physicians' livelihoods and patients’ access to care. Let's raise awareness and advocate for adjustments that honor the vital work physicians do every day. If you're impacted by this, join the conversation and share how it’s affecting you. #PhysicianAdvocacy #Healthcare

As we navigate through the ever-evolving landscape of #Healthcare, it's crucial for providers to stay informed and prepared for upcoming changes. Learn about the potential changes and opportunities from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2025 Proposed Physician Fee Schedule in our article. https://lnkd.in/e2rmx8XK #ValueBasedCare #HealthcareNews #Medicare

It is critical that all providers get on board with advocating for reimbursement.