News: CMS open to delayed MACRA rollout, statement says

The federal government could delay implementation of the physician payment reforms under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), according to statements made by CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt during a July 13 hearing. CMS wants to provide physicians opportunities to gain experience with the program prior to complete implementation, Slavitt told members of the Senate Finance Committee. To do that, CMS is considering alternative start dates for the proposed MACRA rule—which is currently set to begin on January 1, 2017—and the possibility of shorter reporting periods.

CMS received nearly 4,000 comments on the proposed rule—including opposition from the American Hospital Association—with the general concern being that physicians won’t have enough time to effectively prepare for the new incentive payment program. Providers also worry that the new program could take away from patient care.

Other stakeholders voiced concern that the rule doesn’t consider the needs or dynamics of small, solo, or rural practices, says Slavitt. In smaller facilities, Slavitt says, even the smallest amount of additional paperwork could affect the amount of time providers can spend with patients.

CMS is currently reaching out to physicians for additional feedback, said Slavitt during the hearing, and, so far, the feedback is promising. Physicians want to participate, he says, but they need more time and resources to make it happen. “We need to launch this program so that it begins on the right foot. That means that every physician in the country needs to feel like they are set up for success.”