Are You Ready for MACRA? ASCO Helps Oncologists Prepare

Aug 19, 2016

ASCO is continuing efforts to help prepare oncology practices for the transformation that the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) is bringing to cancer care. MACRA redefines how Medicare will reimburse oncologists for care they provide to promote a value-based practice environment ensuring high-quality and affordable health care.

Timeline

Under the new Medicare Quality Payment Program, payments made to oncologists and their practices will be adjusted through either the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or participation in advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs). Data from physician services in 2017 must be submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2018. CMS will evaluate these data and use them to make payment adjustments starting in 2019.

How to Prepare

Given the profound impact MACRA will have on all physician payments, including oncology payments, practices must prepare now for reporting in 2017 by:

  • Participating in 2016 quality reporting (such as Physician Quality Reporting System and the EHR Incentive Program) to avoid negative payment adjustment;
  • Reviewing quality and resource-use reports;
  • Focusing on performance by reviewing quality measure benchmarks and understanding what is required for above-average performance;
  • Ensuring data accuracy by checking the accuracy of your comparison group; and
  • Coding in ICD-10 to the highest level of specificity.

ASCO is actively assisting oncologists with this practice transformation and will provide continuous education to members about what is ahead and how to prepare. ASCO members who missed the MACRA Town Hall during the Annual Meeting can watch it online through Virtual Meeting.

Learn more about how to prepare for MACRA and register for upcoming webinars.


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