2018 Public Policy Year in Review:
What did ACG do for you?
Another look at last year’s important policy highlights.
December 2018
- Government shutdown still looms (at the time of this writing)
- An update on the recent ACA lawsuit
- CMS Provides 2017 National Healthcare Spending Estimates: $10,730 per person
- FDA Safety Communication: FDA Provides Interim Results of Duodenoscope Reprocessing Studies Conducted in Real-World Settings
- Tri-Society Alert: CY 2019 Medicare PFS Final Rule: A Comprehensive Review from ACG, AGA and ASGE
- At the State and Local Level: Step Therapy Bill Passes Senate in Ohio
- FDA Releases Proposed Guidelines on NASH Drug Development
- ACG Recognizes IBD Awareness Week (December 1-7)
- ACG Members: Don’t forgot about your 2018 MIPS Reporting Requirements
- ACG Governors’ Advocacy Paying off: CMS Guidance on MIPS and Areas Impacted by Natural Disasters
November 2018
- November 2018 Elections: Health Care a Major Ballot Issue for States and U.S. Congress
- November 2018 Election Outlook: what did you miss during the ACG Practice Management Course?
- Health Care on Ballot in Various States
October 2018
- ACG Urges CMS to Grant MIPS Exemptions for States Impacted by Hurricane Michael
- FDA Pediatric IBD Workshop: Register to Attend November Event
- A review of recent work ACG is doing for you
September 2018
- ACG Urges CMS to Grant MIPS Exemptions for States Impacted by Hurricane Florence
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: CMS find errors in MIPS scores—Check your feedback reports
- APMs and Value-Based Care in Spotlight. ACG is here to help!
- Tri-Society Alert: TAKE ACTION: Tell CMS to Withdraw Harmful E/M Proposals
- ACA Repeal Watch: Dallas is the Setting for the Latest Attempt at Repeal Efforts
- Urge Your Members of Congress to Say “No” to CMS’ New E/M Proposal!
August 2018
- Don’t miss in the latest issue of ACG Magazine: ACG Governors Making an Impact and Important Practice Management Tips for ACG Members
- Call to Action: Urge your representatives to sign onto the congressional letter opposing “step therapy” prior authorizations!
- ACG Practice Management Committee Completes Work Retreat, “Better Practices Make Better Lives”
July 2018
- Call to Action: Urge the Senate to support the Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Transparency Act of 2018!
- ACG Active on Stark Law Reform: Working with Congress and CMS
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: Should the Trend in CMS’ Estimated MIPS Bonuses Raise Some Concern?
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: CMS Releases MIPS 2017 Performance Feedback User Guide
June 2018
- ACG’s Legislative Action Center: Your Resource for Important Federal and State Bills Impacting Clinical GI
- ACG Advocates for Gender Equity and Physician Compensation at AMA HOD Meeting
- AMA Article on ACG Efforts for Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
- ACG Back on Capitol Hill: Participating in Health Reform Policy Discussions
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: Medicare Trustees Report Weighs in on the Future of MACRA
- CMS Highlights Success of MACRA Year 1: High on Praise, but Short on Details
May 2018
- At the State and Local Level: ACG members in Massachusetts: urge your support for the “Acts to Reduce Health Care Costs Through Improved Medication Management” bills!
- Don’t miss in the latest issue of the ACG Magazine: ACG Governors Fly-in and Important Practice Management Tips for ACG Members
- Busy Week on Drug Costs and Pricing: Data on Popular Drugs in GI
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: ACG’s Quality Reporting Checklist
- Check your MIPS Eligibility Status for 2018: do you have to participate in MIPS?
- At the state and local level: ACG members in Minnesota: “Step Therapy override” bill passes the House; urge your representatives to support the Senate bill!
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: The MIPS “Improvement Activities” Performance Category
April 2018
- ACG to lawmakers: Support legislation to remove GI care barriers
- GIQuIC: More than a Decade of Endoscopic Improvement Through Observation & Upcoming Webinar
- 2018 ACG Board of Governors Legislative Fly-In: advocating for you and your patients
- 2 Important CMS Updates for GI Practices: Biosimilar Coding Changes and Medicare Appeals Guidance
- Call to Action: ACG active on Step Therapy bills at state and federal level. New bill just introduced in Minnesota!
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: The MIPS Advancing Care Information performance category: Breaking down the complexity
March 2018
- ACG Co-hosts FDA GREAT V Public Workshop: thank you for participating!
- Important Date for ACG Members: CMS Extends the MIPS 2017 Data Submission Deadline
- Call to Action: ACG active on Step Therapy bills at state and federal level
- Supporting CRC Advocates on Capitol Hill – ACG Joins Fight CRC’s 2018 “Call on Congress”
- Call to Action: Urge your representatives to support the “Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act” (S. 479; HR 1017)!
- ACG Co-hosting Meeting with FDA: GREAT 5 for Pediatric Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Pediatric Functional Constipation
- Good news for ACG members: Anthem rescinds modifier 25 payment policy
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: the MIPS Quality Performance Category in 2018: the basics, and some helpful scoring examples.
- MIPS for all practice sizes: ACG advocating on behalf small and large GI practices
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: Crash course on MIPS Bonuses and Cuts
February 2018
- In ACG Magazine: Strategic Options for Independent GI Practices
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: the Basics: “MIPS 101”
- MIPS-eligible Clinicians Can Now View Performance Scores for 2017 Claims Data
- CMS Actuary Office releases projections on U.S. healthcare spending
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: Do I even have to participate in the QPP in 2018?
- ACG Advocacy Successful on Multiple Fronts: Congress Includes Various ACG Priorities in Two-Year Budget
- GIQuIC and the MIPS 2018 QCDR Reporting Option
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: MACRA 2018: Back to the basics and key takeaways
- Important FDA Safety Alerts in GI: What you need to know
- CMS updates to 2017 “Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances” Policy for MIPS: Important for ACG members in recent natural disaster areas
- From the ACG Governors: Update on Saline Shortages
January 2018
- ACG Guidance: Practical Tips for Reporting MIPS Data
- Updated MACRA Information for 2018: ACG’s Guidance Tailored for GI Clinicians
- CMS Releases Data on 2018 Medicare Value-Based Modifier Bonuses/Cuts: Why is this important to ACG members?
- ACG Updates 2018 Medicare Reimbursement Data for GI Services
- At the State and Local Level: Step therapy bills introduced in Virginia and Washington state
- CMS Announces New Medicare Episode Payment Bundle- Here’s what you need to know
- Updated MACRA Information for 2018: ACG’s Guidance Tailored for GI Clinicians
- At the State and Local Level: MOC-related bill introduced in Virginia
- MACRA Tidbit for the Week: MedPAC Votes to Get Rid of MIPS
- CMS Clarifies Position on Texting Physician Orders
- CMS Approves GIQuIC as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry for the 2018 Reporting Year
- 2017 Public Policy and Practice Management Year in Review: What did ACG do for you?