Physician Groups Ask Congress for AUC Program Relief

• By: admin
• On: 09/10/2018 15:01:43
• In: Advocacy

This burden will affect approximately 579,687 health care professionals who order and deliver advanced diagnostic imaging tests and who will otherwise be subject to a new and complex AUC program in 2020.
 
In the letter, physician organizations representing primary, specialty and surgical care ask lawmakers to modify the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, which established the Medicare AUC Program, in such a manner that health care professionals who meet the requirements of the Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP) will be deemed compliant with the AUC Program.
 
The physician groups argue that AUC consultation is inherent within the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and alternative payment models (APMs), both of which hold clinicians accountable for appropriate resource use.
 
While clinicians have embraced clinical decision support and evidence-based AUC, a stand-alone AUC reporting program duplicates the cost reduction and value-based activities of MIPS and APMs. Moreover, because there is a lack of appropriate measures, the AUC program will not aid in determining whether patients are better served by the Program's implementation.
 
The letter was sent to the leaders of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees. 

View the letter from National Medical Organizations