MACRA reactions light up social media as organizations post early responses to 2,400-page rule
Huge final rule already has healthcare pros celebrating or lamenting the release.
Friday's release of the MACRA final rule created huge buzz in the healthcare industry, prompting a wave of official responses from top organizations as well as layers of chatter about the rule on social media. Here's what people had to say.
[Also: UPDATED: CMS releases MACRA final rule, makes 2017 'transition year,' adds 90-day reporting option]
The American Medical Association
"Our initial review indicates that CMS has been responsive to many of the concerns raised by the AMA, and in the days ahead, the AMA will conduct a comprehensive review of the final rule to ensure that it promotes flexibility and innovation in the delivery of care to help meet the unique needs of all patients. With the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula – and its annual threat of steep payment cuts – permanently eliminated, the new law gives many physicians the opportunity to be rewarded for the improvements they make to their practices and for delivering high-quality, high-value care to Medicare patients."
The National Committee for Quality Assurance
"The overwhelming majority by which MACRA passed Congress last year reflects a bipartisan consensus that the way we pay for health care and the way that it's organized is unsustainable and must change. This final rule is an important next step toward affecting that change and we are eager to play our role in helping make MACRA work for everyone."
Medical Group Management Association
"MGMA is pleased with the significant burden reduction for physician practices in the first year of the MIPS program and new alternative payment model options outlined in the final rule. It's disappointing that flexibility provided for quality reporting in 2017 largely disappears in 2018 and beyond. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services missed an opportunity to close the two-year gap between the measurement and payment periods, which would facilitate improved patient care by providing actionable feedback to physicians and more timely incentives. The sheer magnitude of a 2400-page regulation and its impact on physician practices can't be ignored."
Former ONC Chief and current Aledade CEO Farzad Mostashari
"The Obama Administration set out to transform health care, and with today's final rule, they put the country on a path to do just that. The rule will move the country to where doctors are reimbursed for quality and value not volume. In creating a clear path for small, independent physicians to embrace the transition to value, CMS makes it possible for leading independent practices to reduce costs, boost outcomes, and thrive. The creation of viable pathways for these practices is critical to maintaining competition and personalized care in our communities. There is still work to be done to help these practices come together in virtual groups, and to stand on equal footing with larger, more integrated groups. We hope the next Congress and Administration takes up and quickly acts on this issue in the new year."
Premiere Health Alliance
"While we are pleased that CMS eased the policy defining the Advanced APM to allow additional programs to qualify and has signaled it will increase the number of available models, the nominal risk standard remains way too high. As we have learned from members in our Bundled Payment and Population Health Management Collaboratives, these models require significant investment in redesigning care through new technologies, data analytics, and additional staff. CMS has chosen to ignore these realities. We call on CMS to rethink this risk standard in future rules to incent greater participation. We also call on CMS to accelerate recognition of "virtual" physician groups that would allow small practices to band together using technology to meet the minimum thresholds and comply with reporting requirements."
HIMSS
"As we dive into the MACRA final rule, HIMSS supports the CMS decision to focus on encouraging participation, educating clinicians and creating a longer glide path in 2017 for clinicians to transition to the Quality Payment Program. We are committed to assisting the healthcare community to ensure all stakeholders can successfully leverage health IT to improve access and quality for patients."
Committee on Ways and Means
"We're pleased to see the Administration responded to many of our concerns and followed our recommendation to provide clinicians and practitioners more flexibility in the issuance of the final rule for MACRA. These steps help enhance practitioner participation in new Medicare payment opportunities that will ultimately improve patient care and outcomes. Last month, the Administration provided early word of reporting flexibility for physicians and other health care providers. We believe that these and other flexibilities, which are included in the final rule, will help ensure that Medicare beneficiaries receive the value-based care they deserve. This historic law has been a collaborative effort from the start. We are encouraged by this final rule and CMS's commitment to ongoing collaboration with Congress and the health care community."
Social media posts
#MACRA weekend! pic.twitter.com/nkcfE9vbrh
-- Jacob Reider MD (@Jacobr) October 14, 2016
Ironic that a #MACRA rule, where folks begged for simplification, is 2,400 pages? Or is that symbolic of the way our government works?
-- David Pittman (@David_Pittman) October 14, 2016
#MACRA is trending! let the #raging begin doctor friends! :-) Just kidding. Deep breath everyone, we will get through this!
-- Shabbir Hossain, MD (@ShabbirHossain) October 14, 2016
The great contradiction in American medicine is that providers lose money by saving consumers money. #MACRA rule starts to change this.
-- Joel White (@jwhite_health) October 14, 2016
New #MACRA rule is a significant step toward improving the quality and value of healthcare for Medicare patients: https://t.co/7RnEaL0iZN pic.twitter.com/Y5BlW3OiDL
-- Families USA (@FamiliesUSA) October 14, 2016
OK, now who's gonna be first to finish 2,398-page #MACRA rule? Winner gets a new pair of glasses. (H/T @healthcaredive for news update.)
-- Brian Eastwood (@Brian_Eastwood) October 14, 2016
#MACRA weeds. Still have ACO level scoring for the new #MU, but practice level reporting. Still a weird disconnect.
-- Travis Broome (@Travis_Broome) October 14, 2016
