Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
CMS Nixes Some Mandatory Bundled Payments for 2018
Plus: Expect a slight increase for your provider enrollment application fee next year. There was much discourse in 2017 over providers' participation and adoption of mandatory versus voluntary bundled payment models. CMS acted on the public commentary and cut two mandatory payment models set to start on Jan. 1. "CMS announced a final rule and interim final rule with comment period in the Federal Register, which finalizes the cancellation of the Episode Payment Models (EPMs) and the Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) Incentive Payment Model that were to begin on January 1, 2018," said CMS in a release on Nov. 30, 2017. The new guidance also "implements changes to the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) Model," noted the agency. The cancellations and CJR Model updates align with other CMS initiatives that seek to reduce providers' burdens and improve the delivery of patient care. Details: The CJR model changes are being adjusted to include quality measures, updated pricing, and hospital election processes. Some eligible hospitals will be able to participate voluntarily in the program based on their geographic location. Read the final rule published in the Federal Register on Dec. 1 at: http://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2017-25979.pdf. In other news ... Starting on Jan. 1, CMS will charge clinicians more for enrolling in its healthcare programs. The agency announced that the fee for the Provider Enrollment Application for CY 2018 for institutional providers would go up to $569.00, which is a nine dollar increase from the 2017 amount of $560.00. Those "initially enrolling in the Medicare or Medicaid program or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); revalidating their Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP enrollment; or adding a new Medicare practice location" will be privy to the change. "This fee is required with any enrollment application submitted on or after January 1, 2018 and on or before December 31, 2018," said the notice published in the Federal Register on Dec. 4. Read the CMS notice at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-12-04/pdf/2017-25972.pdf.
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CMS Nixes Some Mandatory Bundled Payments for 2018
Plus: Expect a slight increase for your provider enrollment application fee next year. There was [...]
