ACS Advocacy Brief: June 16

Congress Urges CMS to Implement MACRA as Intended

With the help of grassroots advocacy by ACS members and others, on June 13 a bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Reps. Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the agency to facilitate a transition to value-based care. Specifically, the letter requests that CMS use the statutory authority granted through the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to implement alternative payment models (APMs) approved by the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) and develop new quality measures that reflect the complex, team-based nature of modern healthcare delivery.

MACRA was intended to more closely link payment with value, but CMS has not taken advantage of its authority granted to test PTAC-approved APMs or make use of flexibility in developing quality measures, which has hindered the transition to value-based care. Consequently, many surgeons have been left without a clear path to succeed in the new valued-focused practice environment. By properly implementing MACRA and using the full scope of its provisions, however, CMS can adopt quality metrics that matter for surgeons and the patients they serve.

Visit the ACS website to learn more about MACRA in 2022.

Congressional Coalition Requests Full Funding of MISSION ZERO

In letters to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittees, a bipartisan group of legislators from the US House of Representatives and Senate urged full funding of $11.5 million for the Military and Civilian Partnership for the Trauma Readiness Grant Program (MISSION ZERO) grant program in fiscal year (FY) 2023.

The program was authorized under the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 to provide funding that would ensure trauma care readiness by integrating military trauma care providers into civilian trauma centers. The goal is to increase the provision of high-quality trauma care domestically and abroad.

The MISSION ZERO grant program received only $2 million in FY 22. Ensuring funding at the fully authorized amount of $11.5 million has been a longstanding priority for the ACS, which has worked closely with Congress to prioritize full funding. In addition, the College has organized grassroots efforts that allow surgeons to share their expertise with their legislators as valued members of their respective constituencies.

Visit the ACS website to learn more about MISSION ZERO and other federal trauma legislative priorities.

Voice Your Support for ACS Legislative Priorities

Congress’s efforts to advance federal ACS legislative priorities, as seen in the previous articles on MACRA and MISSION ZERO, are the result of surgeon advocates  who seek to inform and persuade their legislators. In fact, surgeon participation in ACS advocacy activities has a significant impact on keeping the challenges facing surgeons and surgical patients “top of mind” for members of Congress. When advocates become more informed, participate in legislative calls to action, and work to educate lawmakers about the challenges facing medicine, the potential to effect change is heightened.

SurgeonsVoice campaigns are a sampling of ACS-supported issues that Congress is actively considering, and regular participation is key to ensuring policymakers remain engaged. Several issues require action to gain necessary momentum in the halls of Congress:

• Reducing firearm-related injury through the Bipartisan Background Check Act of 2021
• Asking Congress to support Stop the Bleed^® legislation, such as the Prevent BLEEDing Act
• Addressing long-term stability of Medicare physician payment by extending relief from the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act
• Easing the burden of prior authorization through the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act
• Maintaining a strong surgical workforce through the Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2021
• Securing funding for ACS FY 2023 priorities

With few legislative days left and much work to accomplish, ACS members are encouraged to take action on current congressional priorities today.

In addition, make sure to review recent advocacy and political stories in the June issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons. These in-depth articles cover topics including engagement in SurgeonsVoice and grassroot advocacy, how you make your voice heard on Capitol Hill, the importance of participating in ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC activities, and an approach to influencing state telehealth legislation.

Visit the ACS website to learn more about the College’s federal legislative priorities, as well as political and grassroots engagement.

Final Chance to Register for General Surgery Coding Workshop in Dallas

Are you interested in refining your general surgery coding skills and keeping up with new codes? Register now to attend an ACS CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) coding workshop on Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, in Dallas, TX.

With Medicare and third-party payer policy and coding changes taking effect in 2022, it is imperative that surgeons and their coding staff have accurate and timely information to protect Medicare and other payer reimbursement while optimizing efficiency.

By attending the coding course, you will learn how to correctly code procedures and services and will receive the tools necessary for success, including a coding workbook to keep for future reference. Physicians can earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for each day of participation. In addition, the workshop meets AAPC guidelines for continuing education units, so bring your coding staff!

Friday, June 24, 1:00–5:00 pm

• Office and Inpatient E/M Coding
• Medicare's Revised Guidelines for Split / Shared Billing NEW!
• Critical Care Coding Changes NEW!

Saturday, June 25, 8:00 am–4:00 pm

• 2022 New CPT Codes in General Surgery
• Global Surgical Package and Modifiers
• Surgical Coding and Documentation: Hernia, Abdominal Reconstruction, Bariatric, Liver, Colorectal, Breast, Endocrine, and much more

Space is limited. Register today!

On-Demand CPT Coding Courses

The ACS and KarenZupko & Associates also offer on-demand courses to help you and your coding staff stay on top of changes in CPT coding and documentation. These 60-90 minute on-demand courses allow you to learn at your own pace. 

On-demand courses currently available include:

• Office E/M Coding for Surgeons
• Avoid Denials! Code Hospital Services Correctly!
• Critical Care Coding and Documentation – 2022 Update
• Office Procedures – Document and Code Them Right

Each course is accredited for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, and discounts are available for team members or practice employees of ACS Fellows.

Do not give health plans a reason deny you compensation. Using old codes, being unaware of the recent rule changes on split/shared and critical care coding, and billing errors are all preventable mistakes.

Visit the KZA website  or call 312-642-8310 to learn more about each course and to register.