Surprise Medical Billing Legislation
The surprise medical bill issue is at a key juncture in Congress. The insurance industry is lobbying aggressively for a solution that is based on an artificially low “benchmark payment” to physicians set by and controlled by local insurance companies. In contrast, ASA is working with our coalition of medical specialty organizations in support of a payment mechanism based on a market-based interim or automatic payment to physicians and a fair appeals or arbitration “backstop” model to contest unfair insurance practices. Only one side will prevail. It must be medicine, not insurance companies. What should you do to make your voice heard? Do the following things:
- It is critical for you to continue to Call Your Representative and Call your Senators now while Congress is still in session. To find out if your representative is currently a cosponsor of H.R. 3502, the “Ruiz-Roe” bill, please click here.
- Once you have made your phone calls, Send an Email to your Representatives and Senators. As a reminder, you can text SurpriseBillsEngage to 855-465-8659 to launch this activity.
- Schedule an August Recess Meeting: Lawmakers return home to their districts during August recess and that is a great time to ask for a meeting or invite them for a site visit. Email grassroots@asahq.org for guidance and support.
- Share Out of the Middle: ASA along with other medical specialties have partnered up to create outofthemiddle.org. This information to educate the public about this issue and why H.R. 3502 is the right solution to surprise medical bills. ASA has created outreach materials, sample social media posts, and FAQs to share with your family and friends.
MIPS report cards now on Physician Compare Website
As part of CMS’s continued phased-in approach to public reporting on Physician Compare, the agency recently published a subset of 2017 QPP information submitted under MIPS and APMs. The information added on profile pages for MIPS eligible clinicians and groups includes select quality measure and CAHPS survey data.
To learn more about Physician Compare and the 2017 QPP data publication, review CMS’s fact sheet. MGMA Government Affairs encourages members to share feedback with us regarding their experiences with Physician Compare.
