An important AADA advocacy priority is ensuring fair and accurate valuation of dermatologic services.
Health system reform: Key provisions under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act affect how the government values health care services, including establishment of an Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), incentives for participation in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiatives (PQRI), and implementation of EHR and e-prescribing. The Academy is actively weighing in on the rulemaking process that will implement important provisions of the law.
The Academy's Health System Reform Resource Center is a comprehensive resource with information about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its effect on dermatology. Recent news includes:
2013 Medicare fee schedule 2012 Medicare fee schedule Medicare administrative contractor and private sector payment issues AADA opposes legislation that undermines physician-led RUC process: On April 6, 2011, the AADA joined several other physician specialty organizations in sending a letter to Speaker John Boehner regarding HR 1256, which Rep. Jim McDermott, MD, introduced. This bill would essentially undermine the current fair and equitable system of determining relative values for CPT codes by requiring outside contractors to reevaluate the Relative Value Scale Update Committee’s (RUC’s) work and identify what it determines to be misvalued codes.
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission: The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is an independent Congressional agency established to advise Congress about issues affecting Medicare. The AADA attends all MedPAC meetings and staff monitors and reports on the recommendations to Congress.
Topics include payments to private health plans participating in Medicare and providers in Medicare's traditional fee-for-service program, analyzing access to care, quality of care and other issues affecting Medicare. Two reports, issued each year in March and June respectively, are the primary outlets for Commission recommendations.
AADA comments on Physician Payment Sunshine Act proposed rule: In December 2011, the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services released a proposed rule titled "Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Investment Interests." The proposed rule will require manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics or medical supplies to report certain payments or transfers of value over $10 provided to physicians or teaching hospitals. The rule also requires manufacturers or group-purchasing organizations to report physician (and their immediate family) ownership and investment interests.