USA Today (3/20, Groppe) reports that Republicans released a modified bill Monday night “in an attempt to shore up support among both conservatives and moderates.” The revised bill would allow states “to require able-bodied Medicaid recipients without dependents to work beginning in October.” In addition, “states could receive federal funding for the program as a lump sum – instead of a per capita allotment – for children and non-disabled, non-elderly adults.” Also, the ACA’s taxes “on the wealthy, sectors of… Read More

The Wall Street Journal (3/3, Peterson, Hackman, Armour, Subscription Publication) reported the House Energy and Commerce Committee is drafting legislation to reshape Medicaid that would allow states which expanded the program under the Affordable Care… Read More

CMS has announced that the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, requires the removal of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from all Medicare beneficiary cards by April 2019. A new randomly generated Medicare… Read More

The Wall Street Journal (12/16, Evans, Walker, Subscription Publication) reported that the Obama Administration has scrapped a controversial plan to alter how Medicare reimburses physicians for Part B drugs which they administer in their offices… Read More

AMS will continue to provide our physicians with updates on MACRA as new information becomes available. The AMA has some resources here. Below are some other resources you might find helpful: MACRA website – Includes a… Read More

Nearly a third of physicians could be exempt from Medicare’s new merit-based incentive payment system under a final rule CMS issued on October 14, 2016, for implementing the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). CMS… Read More

From AMA Morning Rounds, 9/12/16. The New York Times (9/10, A14, Fink, Subscription Publication) reported that some 72,315 healthcare providers and suppliers “will have a little over a year to meet federal disaster preparedness requirements… Read More

CPC+ is a nationwide, 5-year patient-centered medical home model that will include up to 5,000 practices across 14 regions, and includes Medicare, Medicaid, and private payers.  The AMS was instrumental in supporting the application submitted… Read More

Arkansas physicians will begin to receive letters of revalidation from both Medicare and Medicaid. Instructions on how to complete the revalidation process will be included in the letter. AMS advises physicians to begin the process… Read More

Article from Arkansas Business, by Sarah Campbell, 7/4/16. Health care professionals in Arkansas are voicing skepticism that bringing managed care organizations into the state-run Medicaid program will stem the rising costs of government-provided health care.… Read More

Provider Enrollment Revalidation Cycle 2 All Medicare Part A and B providers are required to recertify the accuracy of their enrollment information every five years through a process known as revalidation. The initial five-year revalidation… Read More