MGMA SHARES MEDICARE PAYMENT REFORM RECOMMENDATIONS WITH CONGRESS

MGMA submitted a letter for the record to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations ahead of their hearing, “MACRA Checkup: Assessing Implementation and Challenges that Remain for Patients and Doctors.” The Subcommittee examined the Quality Payment Program (QPP) that was instituted under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorizations Act of 2015 (MACRA) and discussed challenges practices face related to the legislation.

Our comments included recommendations on how to reform the program such as providing an annual inflationary-based physician payment update based on the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), providing positive financial incentives to support practices transitioning to value-based care, and opposing efforts to offset unrelated congressional spending to the detriment of Medicare providers. MGMA expects Congress to continue reviewing potential options for MACRA reform in the coming months and we will engage with policymakers to advocate for solutions that provide for sustainable reimbursement to medical groups.

MGMA ADVOCATES FOR BEHAVIORAL TELEHEALTH CARE

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on the reauthorization of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act. The Subcommittee discussed numerous provisions of the SUPPORT Act with witnesses from several federal agencies tasked with enforcing the law.

MGMA sent a letter recommending policies to the Subcommittee that would support medical groups’ ability to offer high-quality mental health and behavioral telehealth care. The letter advocated for instituting an appropriate process for the administration of controlled substances via telehealth and to remove the in-person requirement for behavioral telehealth visits.

JOIN MGMA FOR OUR MID-YEAR POLICY UPDATE WEBINAR

Join MGMA Government Affairs staff for our member-exclusive, mid-year policy update to review current federal policies and their impact on group practices. Attendees will learn about the congressional and regulatory landscape as it pertains to medical practices, federal payment issues on the horizon, and the latest on MGMA's advocacy and member engagement. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the presentation, so come ready with your questions!

This webinar will be held on July 18, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET and will eligible for ACMPE, ACHE (live only), CME (live only), CPE (live only), PDC (live only), PDU (live only) and CEU credit. Register for the webinar here.