Policy Statements

New CMS Rule to Apply MIPS Exemption for the 2020 Performance Period CMS announced flexibilities to provide relief to physicians responding to the (COVID-19) pandemic. For the 2020 performance period, CMS will be applying the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) automatic extreme and uncontrollable circumstances (EUC) policy to all MIPS-eligible clinicians. They are also reopening the MIPS EUC application for individual MIPS-eligible clinicians, groups, virtual groups, and Alternative Payment Model entities through 8 p.m. ET on March 31, 2021. Please note that applications received between now and March 31, 2021, won’t override previously submitted data for individuals, groups, and virtual groups. Individual clinicians, groups, and virtual groups that have not submitted data • Individual MIPS-eligible clinicians: You do not need […]

ISASS and Other Stakeholders Urge Congress to Extend Physician Payment Relief in 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule ISASS joined a sign-on letter to congressional leadership advocating that Congress pass legislation to extend the current moratorium on the 2% Medicare payment sequester beyond the current March 31, 2021, expiration date. The letter strongly urges Congress to pass a new bill, H.R. 315, the Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act. This bipartisan legislation would continue the current Medicare sequester moratorium for the duration of the public health emergency. Please see the attached copy of the sign-on letter: Here  

New Administration Releases Health Care–Related Initiatives and Executive Actions On January 22, 2021, President Joe Biden and his administration unveiled several executive orders and memoranda. Executive Orders signed January 21 include: Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats: Establishes a Pandemic Testing Board to identify issues and assist in implementation of testing solutions; directs actions to address the cost of COVID-19 testing; establishes a public health workforce plan. Protecting Worker Health and Safety: Addresses potential changes within OSHA and at state level to better protect workers from COVID-19 and ensure that workers previously not identified but at risk have adequate protections. Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of […]

Survey of Health Care Providers on Accuracy of Medicare Payments The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) conducts numerous surveys of hospitals and health care providers that are used by the government to make economic decisions that affect the entire medical care system. Key users include CMS, the Federal Reserve Bank, and the U.S. Congress. CMS uses these surveys to adjust Medicare fee-for-service payments each year, affecting approximately $300 billion in payments. If you’re contacted by BLS, please participate in the survey. Recently, many health care providers didn’t complete the survey, which can reduce the representativeness of the data and increase volatility in estimates. Your participation in these surveys helps address these issues and increase the validity of the data. […]