The American Association of Neurological Surgeons has joined 11 other medical organizations, including the North American Spine Society and the American Gastroenterological Association, to commend the bipartisan efforts being taken by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee to repeal and replace Medicare's sustainable growth formula, in a letter.
The committee's draft legislation includes the following provisions, which the societies believe are critical to any physician payment reform proposal:
1. Repeal of the SGR, followed by a minimum five-year period of stability in Medicare physician payment.
2. Physician-led quality improvement that allows the medical profession to determine the most appropriate and clinically relevant quality improvement metrics for use in future quality initiatives.
3. Flexible criteria that allow for physician participation and engagement in the delivery and payment models that are meaningful to their practices and patient populations, which includes preserving a viable fee-for-service option.
4. Legal provisions for physicians who follow clinical practice guidelines and quality improvement program requirements.
The societies conclude the letter saying that they are looking forward to continuing to work with the House committee to address the issue.
More Articles on Neurosurgery:
The Joint Commission Accredits Kaiser Permanente's Vacaville Neurosurgery Program
NorthBay Medical Center Opens $6.1M Neurosurgery Suite
UF, Orlando Health Expand Neurosurgery Partnership