AMA Releases New MACRA Implementation Resources for Providers
The American Medical Association developed three MACRA implementation resources to help providers succeed under upcoming value-based reimbursement programs.
By - With a final ruling on the proposed MACRA implementation rule expected to arrive in early November, the American Medical Association (AMA) recently released three new tools to help healthcare providers prepare for the value-based reimbursement program launching in 2017.
“MACRA represents the most significant change to Medicare’s physician payment system in a generation, and the AMA is working to help physicians navigate this change and make sure they are prepared for it,” said Andrew Gurman, MD, AMA President.
The new web-based resources include a payment model impact calculator, new STEPS Forward resources, and a MACRA-specific podcast series.
Through the AMA Payment Model Evaluator, providers and practice administrators can determine how MACRA will impact their organization’s healthcare revenue cycle. The tool, developed with the help of physicians and other stakeholders, evaluates providers and their staff to provide personalized educational resources for MACRA implementation.
The complementary evaluator uses an online questionnaire to give providers guidance on selecting the most appropriate MACRA reimbursement track, such as the Merit-Based Payment Incentive System (MIPS) or an Advanced Alternative Payment Model. Providers will also receive personalized tips on how to improve performance and maximize financial rewards.
The AMA stated that it plans to regularly update the Payment Model Evaluator to reflect any regulatory changes to the value-based reimbursement program.
The healthcare organization also added new MACRA-specific resources to its STEPS Forward program. The tools are designed to help providers understand quality reporting under MACRA and other Medicare value-based reimbursement programs.
“Accurate and successful reporting on quality metrics is an important determinant of Medicare payment, both in the current Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) program and under the new Quality Payment Program (QPP) in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA),” the STEPS Forward website stated. “These resources are intended to provide a high level understanding of the quality programs and to show you how to maximize your quality reporting success.”
Both the Payment Model Evaluator and STEPS Forward resources can be accessed with a login to the AMA’s website and do not require membership.
Additionally, the AMA developed a ReachMD podcast series dedicated to understanding MACRA implementation. The “Inside Medicare’s New Payment System” series will include five episodes featuring CMS Acting Administrator, Andy Slavitt, and AMA President, Andrew Gurman, as well as AMA staff experts.
The podcast series includes episodes on MACRA implementation, specialist-driven alternative payment models, and cancer care alternative payment models. Providers can also listen to expert perspectives on the future of Medicare payment reform and physician advocacy.
Providers can access to the podcast series for free by going to the ReachMD website.
The new MACRA implementation tools join the ranks of other AMA-sponsored resources dedicated to the upcoming value-based reimbursement program established by MACRA. The organization already manages a MACRA webpage that provides updated information on the legislation as well as articles on how providers can navigate new Medicare payment programs.
Providers may also find the resources helpful as they select the most appropriate pace for participating in the Quality Payment Program during its first performance year. In September, CMS announced that eligible clinicians have several MACRA attestation options in 2017, ranging from testing the Quality Payment Program by submitting some data to fully participating in an Advanced Alternative Payment Model.
“We know there are challenges under the new system, but the recent announcement of the ‘Pick Your Pace’ reporting options indicates not only that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is responsive to the AMA’s advocacy on behalf of physicians, but that it is working to give physicians a fair chance to be successful in the new payment framework,” Gurman said. “The AMA is helping physicians get started with practical advice presented plainly and clearly, and physicians should begin by logging in today to best understand the changes that are occurring.”
Providers may also need additional resources on MACRA implementation in order to succeed under the legislation’s new value-based reimbursement program. According to a recent Physicians Foundation and Merrit Hawkins survey only 20 percent of physicians said they are very or somewhat familiar with MACRA.
The survey also found that 79 percent or more of physician compensation was still under a fee-for-service model in 2016, suggesting that value-based reimbursement models were not gaining traction with providers despite upcoming Medicare payment reforms under MACRA.
Dig Deeper:
• What We Know About Value-Based Care Under MACRA, MIPS, APMs
• Understanding the Value-Based Reimbursement Model Landscape
