The proposal would lower payments on more than 200 codes, including vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, when performed in the hospital outpatient or ambulatory surgery center setting. NASS urged CMS not to implement the proposed changes and continue working through the American Medical Association RBRVS Update Committee to address concerns on misvalued codes.
The letter also commented on the physician compare website, which CMS was mandated to create under the Affordable Care Act. The website is designed to make physician performance data public and CMS has proposed expanding reporting to all collected measures through the Group Practice Reporting Option and PQRS data for next year. The letter reports NASS members have found incorrect reporting of practice designations, with some neurosurgeons designated under “Neurology” on the site and specialty surgeons listed under “Thoracic or General Surgery.”
Additional topics addressed in the letter include the electronic health record incentive program, clinical data gathering and value-based payment.
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