When Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services Treats Throat Cancer Like Pharyngitis
Authors: Atul Grover, Gayle Lee
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2018)

Ideas and Opinions16 October 2018When Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Treats Throat Cancer Like PharyngitisAtul Grover, MD, PhD and Gayle Lee, JDAtul Grover, MD, PhDAssociation of American Medical Colleges, Washington, DC (A.G., G.L.)Search for more papers by this author and Gayle Lee, JDAssociation of American Medical Colleges, Washington, DC (A.G., G.L.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M18-2116 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The changes to Medicare payment documentation guidelines proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may potentially simplify documentation requirements and align with current medical practices (1). However, it is more likely that the proposal to condense rates under the physician fee schedule will result in reduced payments to many physicians for services provided to medically vulnerable patients. This might further disrupt what is already a fragile patchwork of payment policies to serve Medicare patients.The proposed changes included in the 2019 Medicare physician fee schedule rule would give physicians a choice in documenting outpatient visits by using ...References1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare program; revisions to payment policies under the physician fee schedule and other revisions to Part B for CY 2019. Fed Regist. 2018;83:35704-36368. Accessed at www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/07/27/2018-14985/medicare-program-revisions-to-payment-policies-under-the-physician-fee-schedule-and-other-revisions on 31 July 2018. Google Scholar2. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS Proposes Historic Changes to Modernize Medicare and Restore the Doctor-Patient Relationship. Accessed at www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Press-releases/2018-Press-releases-items/2018-07-12.html on 31 July 2018. Google Scholar3. Erickson SM, Rockwern B, Koltov M, McLean RM; Medical Practice and Quality Committee of the American College of Physicians. Putting patients first by reducing administrative tasks in health care: A position paper of the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166:659-661. [PMID: 28346948]. doi:10.7326/M16-2697 LinkGoogle Scholar4. Sinsky C, Colligan L, Li L, Prgomet M, Reynolds S, Goeders L, et al. Allocation of physician time in ambulatory practice: a time and motion study in 4 specialties. Ann Intern Med. 2016;165:753-760. [PMID: 27595430]. doi:10.7326/M16-0961 LinkGoogle Scholar5. Daniel H, Bornstein SS, Kane GC; Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians. Addressing social determinants to improve patient care and promote health equity: an American College of Physicians position paper. Ann Intern Med. 2018;168:577-578. [PMID: 29677265]. doi:10.7326/M17-2441 LinkGoogle Scholar6. Himmelstein DU, Woolhandler S. Determined action needed on social determinants. Ann Intern Med. 2018;168:596-597. [PMID: 29677271]. doi:10.7326/M18-0335 LinkGoogle Scholar7. Spitalnic P; Office of the Actuary, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Estimated financial effects of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (HR 2). Accessed at www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Research/ActuarialStudies/Downloads/2015HR2a.pdf on 31 July 2018. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Association of American Medical Colleges, Washington, DC (A.G., G.L.)Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M18-2116.Corresponding Author: Atul Grover, MD, PhD, Association of American Medical Colleges, 655 K Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20001; e-mail, [email protected]org.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Grover and Ms. Lee: Association of American Medical Colleges, 655 K Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20001.Author Contributions: Conception and design: A. GroverAnalysis and interpretation of the data: A. Grover, G. Lee.Drafting of the article: A. Grover, G. Lee.Critical revision for important intellectual content: A. Grover.Final approval of the article: A. Grover, G. Lee.This article was published at Annals.org on 7 August 2018. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoBold Proposed Rule for the 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: Can Physicians Afford to Abandon Documentation Burdens? Scott Manaker and M. Douglas Leahy Metrics 16 October 2018Volume 169, Issue 8Page: 573-574KeywordsDecision makingHealth careMedicareNutritionOutpatientsPatientsPharyngitisPharynxSub-specialty careSystematic reviews ePublished: 7 August 2018 Issue Published: 16 October 2018 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2018 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...