Draft Framework for Repealing the SGR: The Cure May be Worse than the Disease
On Halloween, the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees released a bipartisan, bicameral draft proposal to repeal and replace Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. The proposal would permanently repeal the SGR update mechanism, reform the fee-for-service payment system through greater focus on value over volume, and encourage participation in alternative payment models. […]
Efforts to Repeal the SGR Continue
Over the past few months there has been a lot of activity on the SGR front, and the AANS and CNS have been at the forefront of discussions on the best way to fix Medicare’s flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) payment formula. Neurosurgery is urging Congress to incorporate the following elements in any SGR replacement […]
Neurosurgeons Respond to CMS on Proposed 2014 Medicare Payment Policies
Earlier this month, the AANS and CNS submitted several comment letters to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding a number of issues contained in the proposed 2014 Medicare physician fee schedule and hospital outpatient department rules, which affect neurosurgeons and their patients. Of particular concern to neurosurgeons, are the proposals related to […]
Study Finds Medicare Spending Variations Due to Health Differences NOT “Overtreatment”
For many years, healthcare policy researchers have put forward the notion that Medicare spending variations across the U.S. are solely due to wasteful practices and overtreatment — an idea that neurosurgery has repeatedly challenged. A recent study, published in the journal Medical Care — Research and Review, agrees with us that this simply is not […]
House Committee Unveils Framework to Replace the SGR
Last week, the talk of the town (amongst healthcare stakeholders) was about the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s draft legislative proposal for repealing Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. While this skeleton discussion draft bill is very preliminary, it provides a legislative outline for replacing the current Medicare payment system with an “improved fee for […]
Neurosurgery Leading the Quality Charge in Spine Care: N2QOD in the News
For today’s post we thought you might be interested in this profile of the National Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database (N2QOD) that was published in Becker’s Spine Review. The article reviews the essential aspects of the program, discusses the broader significance of registry efforts and also points out the broad potential applications of quality programs […]
PQRS Penalties: You Must Report in 2013 to Avoid a 1.5 Percent Cut in 2015
According to a new study by The Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute, “more than 80 percent of Medicare providers will face penalties for failing to meet quality thresholds if current performance trends continue.” As this statistic suggests, the authors of the study say it “spells trouble for providers as the bonus program is converted to […]
Fixing the UnSustainable Growth Rate Once and For All!
Did you know that Congress has employed 16 temporary fixes to override sustainable growth rate (SGR) pay cuts over the last 10 years? The time for a permanent, workable and sustainable solution is loooooong overdue. To that end, neurosurgery recently joined with the American Medical Association (AMA) and over 100 state and national medical societies […]