In May, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee launched a bipartisan process for addressing the challenges and costs associated with caring for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions.  The committee held an initial hearing on the topic May 14 and a chronic care reform working group has been formed, led by committee members Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Mark Warner (D-VA). This bipartisan group will study the complex issues surrounding chronic care and will produce an in-depth analysis of potential legislative solutions. These recommendations will serve as a foundation for bipartisan chronic care legislation.

 

As part of the process, the Senate Finance Committee solicited public and private stakeholders for their ideas on ways to improve outcomes for Medicare patients with chronic conditions. ASNC responded by encouraging the committee to consider adherence to appropriate use criteria as a clinical practice improvement activity under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), which was established by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act as a replacement, in part, to the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula.  ASNC also stressed the need for payment adequacy for nuclear cardiology services and alternative payment models that do not interfere with physician-patient decision making.  Full ASNC response