WSHA Comments to CMS Regarding Value-based Physician Payment

July 7, 2016

WSHA recently submitted comments on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service’s proposed rule regarding physician payment under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).  The act replaces the current sustainable growth rates formula governing physician payment with a new structure that will adjust physician payments based on attainment of quality measures. The act has special provisions for approved alternative payment models.

In its comments, WSHA stressed that the current list of approved models is too limited and may undermine some successful models that are underway.  WSHA also stressed that there needs to be flexibility to accommodate the needs of rural providers who are limited in their ability to take on downside financial risk and have more limited access to electronic health record resources.  WSHA also commented that the payment structure should recognize and reward hospitals and physicians that have already made significant improvements in quality as a result of the Partnership for Patients and other programs.

WSHA has scheduled special webinars to provide information to members regarding the transition to value-based payment.  Two webinars will are scheduled for July 26, 2016.  The first one will be 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. and is for critical access hospitals.  A second webinar will take place noon to 1:30 for non-critical access hospitals.  Connection details and other information will be sent shortly. (Andrew Busz,andrewb@wsha.org)

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