Quality Improvement and Patient Safety

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The AANS and CNS are committed to quality improvement and supports innovative efforts to provide high quality, cost-effective care to patients. While Congress has taken the first steps towards implementing quality improvement programs, the current Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS — formerly PQRI) needs to be drastically reworked to better incorporate a system for clinical data collection and reporting. A "one-size-fits-all" approach will not result in better patient outcomes. The AANS and CNS support a pay-for-participation system under which data regarding physician quality are collected in a nonpunitive environment and analyzed using accurate risk‐adjustment mechanisms; public reporting of data only occurs at the aggregate level and not at the individual level; and physicians receive performance feedback continually and in a timely manner. Organized neurosurgery will continue to push the message that Congress should rescind the PQRS penalties, reconsider the value‐based payment modifier and streamline the federal quality improvement programs created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

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Letters

Neurosurgery Comments on the Proposed 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

Published: September 11, 2017
Subject: CMS-1676-P Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies Under thePhysician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2018 Dear Administrator Verma: On behalf of the American […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Article

Neurosurgery Sends Comments on Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Imaging to the House Ways and Means Committee for its Medicare Red Tape Relief Project

Published: August 25, 2017
Please describe the submitting organization’s interaction with the Medicare program: The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), founded in 1931, and the Congress ofNeurological Surgeons (CNS), founded in 1951, are […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Article

MIPS Exemption and Special Status Resource Guide (prepared by Hart Health Strategies)

Published: August 24, 2017
The following tables provide information on exemptions and “special status” determinations under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). This guide does not provide details regarding treatment under the Advanced Alternative […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Letters

AANS and CNS Send Letter to CMS Regarding 2018 Updates to the Quality Payment Program

Published: August 21, 2017
SUBJECT: Medicare Program; CY 2018 Updates to the Quality Payment ProgramProposed Rule (CMS-5522-P) Dear Administrator Verma: On behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress ofNeurological […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Article

Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) Update

Published: July 17, 2017
BackgroundOn Oct. 14, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final ruleimplementing the new Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP). Mandated by the Medicare Accessand CHIP Reauthorization […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Article

Summary of the CY 2018 Proposed Updates to the Quality Payment Program (prepared by Hart Health Strategies)

Published: July 9, 2017
Table of Contents Executive Summary/Background………………………………………………………………………………………….6Overview…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6QPP Strategic Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6One QPP………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6Summary of the Major Provisions…………………………………………………………………………………………………7QPP Year 2 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7Small Practices…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7Summary of Major Provisions for Advanced APMs……………………………………………………………………………….7Summary of Major Provisions for MIPS……………………………………………………………………………………………….8Payment Adjustments………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10Benefits and Costs […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Letters

PCRC Letter to Senate Leadership Supporting 21st Century Cures

Published: December 1, 2016
RE: 21st Century Cures Act Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Reid: The undersigned members of the Physician Clinical Registry Coalition strongly support theprovisions of the 21st Century Cures […]
  • Drugs and Devices
  • Medical Liability Reform
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Letters

PCRC Letter to House Leadership Supporting 21st Century Cures

Published: November 30, 2016
RE: 21st Century Cures Act Dear Speaker Ryan and Minority Leader Pelosi: The undersigned members of the Physician Clinical Registry Coalition strongly support theprovisions of the 21st Century Cures Act […]
  • Medical Liability Reform
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Letters

PCRC Letter to CMS Regarding QCDR Quality Measure Consolidation

Published: October 29, 2016
Re: QCDR Quality Measures Dear Dr. Yong: The undersigned members of the Physician Clinical Registry Coalition (the Coalition)are writing to express our concerns about recent email communications from the Centers […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Letters

The Honorable Rand Paul Sends Letter to CMS regarding MACRA

Published: September 30, 2016
Dear Secretary Burwell: In April 2015, Congress passed, and the president signed into law, the Medicare Accessand CHIP Reauthorization Act (P.L. 114-10). MACRA replaced the flawed sustainablegrowth rate (SGR) formula […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Letters

PCRC Letter to CMS Regarding Qualified Entity Final Rule 8.31.16

Published: August 31, 2016
Re: [CMS-5061-F] – Medicare Program: Expanding Uses of Medicare Data by Qualified Entities Dear Mr. Slavitt: The undersigned members of the Physician Clinical Registry Coalition (the Coalition) arewriting to express […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Letters

Physician Clinical Registry Coalition Letter

Published: June 27, 2016
Re: CMS-5517-P – Medicare Program; Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) andAlternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Criteria forPhysician-Focused Payment Models Dear Mr. Slavitt: The undersigned […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Letters

AMA-Led Coalition MACRA Comment Letter

Published: June 24, 2016
Re: Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM)Incentive Under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Criteria for Physician-Focused PaymentModels; Proposed Rule (CMS-5517-P) Dear Acting Administrator Slavitt: On behalf […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Letters

Neurosurgery Joins other Multispecialty Groups in Sending a Letter to ONC on Assessing Interoperability for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA)

Published: June 3, 2016
Dear Dr. DeSalvo and Acting Administrator Slavitt: The undersigned medical societies are writing in response to your request for information (RFI) assessinginteroperability for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management
Article

Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier: What Neurosurgeons Need to Know

Published: May 18, 2016
Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier What Neurosurgeons Need to Know for 2016 The Affordable Care Act required CMS to begin applying a value-based modifier (VM) toMedicare physician fee schedule payments for […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Article

PQRS 2016 What Neurosurgeons Need to Know

Published: May 15, 2016
Physician Quality Reporting System What Neurosurgeons Need to Know for 2016 The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) is a federal program that requires physicians andother eligible professionals (EPs) to report […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Letters

AANS and CNS Join AMA in Sending Comments to CMS Regarding MACRA RFI

Published: November 17, 2015
Dear Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you for the opportunity to provide input to the Request for Information (RFI) regarding theimplementation of Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and Merit-Based Incentive Programs (MIPS)under […]
  • Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
  • Reimbursement and Practice Management