Morning Headlines 6/9/15

Medicare Program; Medicare Shared Savings Program: Accountable Care Organizations

CMS publishes its final rule addressing changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The final rule introduces a new program, called Track 3, based on the successful aspects of the Pioneer ACO Model. The rule also beings to address performance benchmarking concerns, and promises additional performance benchmarking regulations later this year.

Back to the Future

Outgoing AMA president Robert Wah, MD, rails against the Meaningful Use program and ICD-10 implementation at the AMA Annual Conference this weekend in Chicago, saying “the Meaningful Use requirements for electronic records are a heavy burden and a prison for innovation,” and “We believe ICD-10 will further disrupt physician practices when we’re already facing headaches like Meaningful Use.”

ICD-10 ‘Grace Period’ Bill Introduced in US House

Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) introduces HR 2652, titled Protecting Patients and Physicians Against Coding Act of 2015, which if passed would establish a two-year grace period during which both ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes would be accepted. It is the third bill introduced in the last two months that attempts to delay the upcoming ICD-10 switchover.