NEW MEMBER RESOURCE ON OMNIBUS PROVISIONS IMPACTING MEDICAL GROUPS

On Dec. 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (CAA, 2023), into law, which contained a handful of provisions that impact medical group practices, including mitigating provider reimbursement cuts under Medicare for two years and extending certain telehealth flexibilities. To assist members, MGMA Government Affairs created a high-level resource outlining those provisions included within the CAA, 2023, likely to have an effect on practice operations.

Interested in additional information on 2023 policies? Make sure to review MGMA’s 2023 Physician Fee Schedule Analysis and 2023 Medicare Outlook webinar recording!

MIPS EXTREME AND UNCONTROLLABLE CIRCUMSTANCES APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) extended the deadline to file a 2022 MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) hardship exception application for those citing COVID-19 as a triggering event until March 3, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET. The deadline originally was Jan. 3, 2023. CMS notes that applications received between Jan. 3, 2023 and March 3, 2023 will not override submitted data for individuals, groups, and virtual groups. Additionally, APM Entities participating in MIPS APMs can submit a MIPS EUC exception application, but should note the following differences:

• APM Entities are required to request reweighting for all performance categories.
• At least 75% of the MIPS eligible clinicians in the APM Entity will need to qualify for reweighting in the Promoting Interoperability performance category.

Data submission for an APM Entity won't override performance category reweighting from an approved application.

ADDITIONAL GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE GUIDANCE RELEASED

CMS has released additional guidance regarding the good faith estimates (GFE) for uninsured (or self-pay) individuals as established in the No Surprises Act. The FAQs cover how federally qualified health centers with sliding fee discounts can comply with GFE requirements, when an abbreviated GFE can be used, and what types of contact information providers should include in a GFE. CMS includes a sample template that group practices can utilize for abbreviated GFEs.

For more information on the No Surprises Act, please review MGMA’s updated member-exclusive resource.