“Continued sole reliance on fee-for-service care may well not be the best approach for all beneficiaries, providers or circumstances,” notes the letter. “However, fee-for-service may remain approrpiate in some circumstances.”
NASS supports the SGR repeal and increased stability payment, recommending annual updates of 1 percent for professionals not in alternative payment models and 2 percent for those in advanced alternative payment models after 2023. The organization also supports financial incentives for physicians who achieve higher quality and perform more efficient care instead of enacting penalties or withholds.
There is currently a proposed 10-year freeze on payments, which NASS expressed concern over. “Current payment levels already do not reflect the true costs of providing care today,” states the letter. “The costs will continue to rise given the number of beneficiaries anticipated to enter the system in coming years. A 10-year freeze will only exacerbate that gap by producing a cumulative gap of nearly 45 percent, a prescription for disaster and limited access to healthcare for an aging population.”
The letter also addresses the Patient Quality Reporting System, value-based payment programs and performance assessment.
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