On March 15, 2018, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) released its March 2018 Report to the Congress regarding Medicare payment policy. The report includes MedPAC’s recommendations for how Congress should update payment rates in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare for 2019.

Hart Health Strategies newsletter for the week of February 18th. Now you can also listen to our newsletter through our podcast, Health on the Hill. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes by clicking here, and you will receive new episodes as they are published. If you have an Android device without iTunes, you can listen to episodes on SoundCloud by clicking here.

SCAI has been closely watching developments regarding a proposed HHS/CMS rule, filed with the Office of Management and Budget on August 10, titled “Cancellation of Advancing Care Coordination through Episode Payment and Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Models; Changes to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Payment Model (CMS-5524-P).” Based on the title, it has been anticipated that the mandatory AMI Bundled Program would be canceled. In April, SCAI expressed concerns and recommended revisions to the program that was slated to go into effect January 1, 2018, in a letter to Secretary Price.

On June 22, 2017, United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) unveiled the Senate Republican leadership health care reform bill – the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) of 2017. While the Senate bill is slightly more moderate than its House counterpart, the Senate version would still allow states and insurance companies to opt out of many of the patient protections mandated under the Affordable Care Act.

On June 13, 3017, SCAI submitted comments to CMS [link to attached comment letter] regarding the 2018 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Proposed Rule. SCAI expressed strong concern over CMS’s proposed 35% reduction to the DRG rate for percutaneous ventricular assist devices inpatient claims (MS-DRG 215), believed to be resulting due to the transition from the ICD-9 to ICD-10 coding system. SCAI also expressed support for physician owned hospitals, opposed the public release of inspection reports by accrediting organizations and spoke to working with CMS regarding the appropriate DRG assignment for new MI ICD-10 codes expected to be approved in October. SCAI will continue to monitor these issues of interest to SCAI members.