Cross Post – New Health Policy Sourcebook Helps You Navigate 2017

From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other places when we believe they hit the mark on an issue. Since we are smack dab in the middle of our focus-month on topics related to health care reform, we wanted to bring attention to a new […]

AANS and CNS Release 2017 Legislative and Regulatory Agenda

On February 14, 2017 the AANS and CNS released their 2017 legislative and regulatory agenda, which includes action items such as improving the health care delivery system, abolishing the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), expanding support for graduate medical education, alleviating the medical liability crisis and restructuring Medicare’s quality improvement programs. To read the full […]

Neurosurgery and 600 Other Groups Urge Congress to Repeal IPAB

Today’s post originally appeared on the Protect My Doctor and Me website. It addresses a key element of the Affordable Care Act — the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) — which is a board of 15 unelected and largely unaccountable government bureaucrats whose primary purpose is to cut Medicare spending. Such cuts threaten America’s seniors […]

AANS Neurosurgeon Spotlight: December 2016 – Neurosurgical Subspecialization

The AANS Neurosurgeon is the official socioeconomic publication of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and features information and analysis for contemporary neurosurgical practice. It focuses on topics related to legislation, workforce issues and practice management as they affect the specialty of neurosurgery. In the December 2016 edition, the AANS Neurosurgeon explores the theme, […]

Neurosurgeons Express Serious Concerns with Medicare Physician Payment Rules

Guest post from Katie O. Orrico, Esq. Director, Washington Office American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) On April 27, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a proposal to overhaul the way Medicare pays physicians. The proposed rule implements key elements of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). This […]

Cross Post – New Health Policy Brief: Medicare’s New Physician Payment System

From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other publications when we believe they hit the mark on an issue. Today’s post originally appeared on the Health Affairs blog and it highlights a new policy brief from Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), […]

AANS and CNS Release 2015 Legislative Agenda

Today, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) released its 2015 legislative agenda, which includes action items such as abolishing the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), expanding support for graduate medical education, championing an improved Medicare reimbursement system, and alleviating the medical liability crisis. A few of our […]

Neurosurgery Comments on the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule

Earlier this month, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) submitted comments concerning several aspects of the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Our comment letters addressed the following topics: Reimbursement-related Provisions The AANS and CNS strongly oppose […]

How Should Congress Pay for Repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate?

Guest post from Harold D. Miller President and CEO, Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform Pittsburgh, PA A bipartisan, bicameral bill was announced earlier this month as the result of a joint effort by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, House Ways and Means Committee, and Senate Finance Committee to repeal and replace […]

Medicare Must Preserve Patient Access to the Physician of their Choice

We all know that Medicare is very important to seniors, and we know that seniors are worried about its future and financial security. Seniors have paid into the system for many years and they certainly deserve to get what they were promised – a Medicare benefit that allows them access to the physician of their […]