Got it - and my apologies for keeping my head down in the trenches these past many months. Gotta keep the doors open when many are closing theirs.
Instead of MITIGATING the damage, how about a real-world INCREASE in reimbursement to pre-madness levels?
We are dying by a thousand cuts and time to face reality - increase reimbursements or our entire society suffers!
Thank you for the opportunity for me to - as respectfully as possible - express my concern.
Yes, I WILL be as active in our association as I can and welcome the opportunity to do so.
This issue is ignored at our peril.
Washington Open MRI, Inc.
Original Message:
Sent: 09-09-2020 10:26
From: Robert Still
Subject: EM Cuts to Radiology
Bill and membership,
In fact, the radiology industry has been actively engaged with key members of the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee to discuss ways to mitigate the proposed cuts to radiology reimbursement as outlined in the CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule. RBMA is working closely with a broad coalition of over 50 physician organizations to fight these cuts. In fact, the RBMA Board of Directors is meeting today to discuss next steps in the development of a campaign that will include a call to action for all RBMA members in a coordinated messaging effort within their home congressional districts while Congress is on recess in October. Stand by for this news on the next phase of this conversation that needs to happen.....
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
Original Message:
Sent: 9/9/2020 10:16:00 AM
From: William Kisse
Subject: RE: EM Cuts to Radiology
OK - why can't we lobby together EFFECTIVELY to receive an INCREASE in reimbursements for imaging services that coincides with our increased costs? THIS IS MADNESS!
How do we continue to run at a profit with reduced patient count from fewer referrers/available patients on top of this most recent INSULT TO OUR INDUSTRY?
How can we pay our equipment leases, maintenance, and utilities?
IS NO ONE LISTENTING IN A POSITIVE WAY?
Are you tired of being treated like sheep? I AM!
If Anesthesiologists can work collectively then we should be ashamed of ourselves for allowing this to happen to us - bit by bit - until imaging services are only available for those willing to pay cash for services, if at all?
Just as an aside, how fair are "Certificate of Need" states which receive higher reimbursements in many categories?
Everything seems planned against us - hang together or hang separately!
Why has our association waited so long to 'encourage' our politicians to allow everyone in the medical industry to allow a fair compensation for services.
I see unrealistic reimbursements as problem one, two, three - all others are secondary in our industry if we can't make ends meet or purchase new equipment to more appropriately serve the needs of our patient community!
Anesthesiologists push back against cuts to Medicare payment rates
The American Society of Anesthesiologists is urging against Medicare cuts that it says will threaten practices already struggling during the pandemic.
The national group, headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., noted in a statement on Tuesday that the cuts appeared in proposed payment rates for physicians from the Centers from Medicare and Medicaid Services.
CMS said last year that it would implement payment increases to physician office visits and other services. And it reiterated last month that it would move ahead with those increases to ensure its payment systems are updated and reflect changes in medical practice and the relative value of services provided.
However, those increases-under current guidelines-must be offset by decreases in other areas.
The specialty of anesthesiology, the association said, will have its Medicare rates reduced close to those from three decades ago.
The group is calling on Congress to override budget neutrality requirements to help ensure anesthesiologists "can continue to care for their patients while being more fairly compensated for their work."
When a specialty doesn't perform services that are increasing, " the impact can be severe and significant, directly effecting the ability to care for patients," the group added.
The cuts would be especially harmful during the current public health crisis, it said.
When elective procedures were halted, many anesthesiologists were furloughed or subjected to pay cuts, said Dr. Mary Dale Peterson, president of the society. Others were redeployed to the front lines of the crisis-putting themselves and their families at risk-for their expertise in intubation and ventilation.
Overall, the economy has already weakened practices, Peterson said.
"More and more, we're seeing that Medicare and payment rates are not providing what it costs to take care of Medicare patients from a physician's perspective," she said. "To get quality of care in the hospital and operating rooms, we need physician anesthesiologists.
"We're getting to a real tipping point where seniors may not be able to have timely and quality anesthetic care," she added, "depending on what hospital they go to." -J.H
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William Kisse
COO
Washington Open MRI, Inc.
Rockville, MD
bill@womri.com
(301) 424-4888
https://www.linkedin.com/in/billkisse/
Original Message:
Sent: 09-02-2020 17:00
From: Robert Still
Subject: EM Cuts to Radiology
Help us tell Congress what the proposed 11% cut to CMS will do to Radiology
CMS is moving forward with the adoption of a new coding structure around office/outpatient visits (otherwise known as evaluation and management, or E/M codes). These structural changes would result in significant decrease in reimbursement for many providers, and the impact to radiology is significant.
Due to the fact that changes in Medicare reimbursement must be "budget neutral," to account for these changes in E/M codes, changes to practice expense RVUs, and overall updates to changes in geographic practice cost indices, the conversion factor for calendar year 2021 has been set at $32.26, or a decrease of $3.83 (10.6%) from the 2020 Conversion Factor of $36.09.
Considering the reduced conversion factor and changes in RVU allocations, CMS estimates that the overall impact to radiology will be an 11% reduction in reimbursement. Depending on your practice's individual modality mix, the impact could be even greater.
We need your help! Take our current Hot Topics Poll to help us further understand how the Proposed 11% cut will impact your organization
. Take the Poll Now
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Robert Still FRBMA
Executive Director
Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA)
Fairfax VA
(703) 621-3363
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