The Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI) submitted a letter last week to the House E&C Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations that discusses concerns about the rapid, system-wide trend of consolidation in the health care marketplace.In the letter, PAI expressed concern about a health care system increasingly dominated by large, powerful entities as the fast pace of horizontal and vertical consolidation continues. The letter also shared highlights of PAI's research with Avalere, including the pace of hospital-driven acquisitions of physician practices and concerns about the decline of physicians' ability to maintain independent practices in the country.PAI's letter calls for repeal of laws …

Ever Advocates for Connecticut Physicians and their Patients, Connecticut State Medical Society leaders descended upon Washington, D.C., this week for two packed days of meetings with Connecticut’s elected federal Representatives and Senators.The CSMS leadership brought a long list of physicians’ complaints to be addressed by Congress.While, as noted in a news item in the February 15 edition of CSMS E-News, significant progress was made in last week’s federal budget agreement, Connecticut physicians still have many concerns, particularly with respect to physician Medicare payment cuts, regulatory relief from the more onerous components of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), …

To access a 6-page summary of health-related provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, click here.To view the 25-page Senate Section by Section summary, click here.

TAKE THE SURVEY – LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARDYour input would be of great value. The survey's purpose is to examine the morale, career plans, and practice metrics of today's physicians - and to give physicians a voice! Click the link to take the survey, and to register for one of five $500 or one $5000 Amazon Gift Cards.https://amnhealthcare.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6nkaYL4Qul3mdgN

Jeffrey Gordon, MD, CSMS Immediate Past President and Chair of the CSMS HIE, CTHealthLink, speaks with WTIC’s Joe D’Ambrosio about how the CTHealthLink Infrastructure will be used to support an NIH suicide prevention grant.To hear the interview, click below.[video mp4="https://csms.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Dr.-Gordon-WTIC-Interview-Suicide-Prevention-2-8-18-1.mp4"][/video].

The extension of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018, was posted February 6 on the House Rules Committee website.The continuing resolution (CR) would extend government funding through March 23, 2018.Click to view:Press ReleaseFull Text

On February 5, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a table displaying the Alternative Payment Models (APMs) that CMS operates. In the table CMS identifies which of those APMs CMS has determined to be MIPS APMs or Advanced APMs. This list will be modified based on changes in the designs of APMs or the announcement of new APMs.See the table here: https://csms.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Comprehensive-List-of-APMs.pdf

On January 17, the American Hospital Association (AHA), America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), American Medical Association (AMA), American Pharmacists Association (APhA), Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) announced a Consensus Statement outlining their shared commitment to industry-wide improvements to prior authorization processes and patient-centered care.To read the press release and consensus statement, click here.

On January 11, a coalition of concerned individuals and groups sent a letter to Department of Social Services Commissioner Roderick Bremby requesting the reinstatement of the NEMT Quality Assurance Committee. To read the full letter, click here:QAC Termination Opposition Letter

On January 11, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the federal government, for the first time, will allow states to test work or community engagement requirements as a condition of eligibility for some Medicaid enrollees. Click to read the full summary from the AMA:Summary of CMS Policy on Work Requirements

Physicians are a critical component of the health care system, providing care to patients across a variety of settings and within a multitude of specialties and subspecialties. Through the care provided to their patients, physicians can have a positive and lasting impact on the health of their patients and the community as a whole. However, the breadth of a physician’s impact reaches far beyond just the provision of patient care. Physicians also play a vital role in the state and local economies by creating jobs, purchasing goods and services, and supporting state and community public programs through generated tax revenues. …

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CSMS has been a strong proponent of network adequacy laws and regulations in Connecticut, and has provided the following comments to the Connecticut Insurance Department regarding the proposed Insurance Department Regulations Concerning Network Adequacy.CSMS Comments on Network Adequacy Regulations

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NGS Claims System to be Corrected Starting in April, 2018.According to National Government Services, the Medicare carrier for Connecticut, most of the claims and physicians impacted were in private, non-hospital based settings. CMS has updated several NCDs, but these updates will not be effective within the FISS or the MCS until April, 2018. This alert applies to NCD 220.4 for Diagnostic Mammograms and also NCD 220.13 for Percutaneous Image-Guided Biopsy of the Breast, but other NCDs may be potentially impacted by coding updates. Currently, CMS has issued instructions for A/B MACs to temporarily deactivate the shared system edits associated with …

CSMS has received the following update from Richard B. Spencer, Director of Provider Engagement Services for the Community Health Network of Connecticut (CHNCT). CHNCT serves as the state’s medical Administrative Services Organization for the HUSKY Health Program. Families of children covered by Connecticut’s Connecticut’s CHIP Program, known locally as HUSKY B, will be receiving notices of the possible end of the program. The information provided to our members is now posted on the HUSKY Health front page at www.ct.gov/husky (please see bulletin box under photos) and HUSKY B information link also referenced in yellow bulletin box throughout www.ct.gov/dss. Please share …

Are you prepared to use data in actionable ways and succeed in the new data-driven healthcare atmosphere?Physicians and applicable practice staff can learn more about transforming healthcare delivery through the effective use of data analytics with CSMS, CTHealthLink, and KaMMCO Health Solutions.Offered at two convenient dates and locations, this free CME* program will help you move forward in this new data-driven world. RegisterTuesday, January 16, 2018 - 5:30 - 8 pm RegisterArtisan Restaurant (at Delamar Southport Hotel), 275 Old Post Road, Southport, CTWednesday, January 17, 2018 11:30 am - 1:30 pm RegisterOn the Waterfront Restaurant, 250 Pequot Avenue, New London, …

At the AMA Interim Meeting, CSMS and the New England delegation were strong proponents of a resolution to address the issue of reduced payment when Modifier 25 is used with an E&M code:In addition, CSMS sent letters this week to the offices of the Connecticut Attorney General, Comptroller, Healthcare Advocate, and Insurance Commissioner to express concerns about reduced payments and their potential effect on patient access to care. View the letter here.Stronger Together: CSMS has been working on the Modifier 25 issue with the CT ENT Society, the CT Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, the CT Urology Society, and …

(North Haven, CT) – The Connecticut State Medical Society Charitable Trust is pleased to announce its 2018 donations to the following organizations: BHcare, Ansonia, Branford Children in Placement, New Haven CRIS Radio, Windsor HAVEN, Southington Interval House, Hartford Project Access-New Haven Prudence Crandall Center, New Britain Reach Out and Read, New Haven Safe Futures, New LondonPhotos- 2018 Charitable Trust Donation RecipientsCSMS Charitable Trust Chair Michael Carius, MD presented the donations at the CSMS office in New Haven. “The Charitable Trust is funded through physician donations, private donations, and proceeds from the annual Biondino Golf Classic,” noted Dr. Carius. “Their generous …

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (CTDCP) has information about the new e-prescribing requirement for controlled substances, which takes effect January 1, 2018.In addition to improving efficiency, the Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS) will help stop prescription fraud with fewer opportunities to duplicate or modify paper prescriptions.Click here for CT DCP information about EPCS, including exemption information and Frequently Asked Questions.