Reimbursement and Practice Management
On April 14, 2015, Congress repealed the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) permanently eliminates SGR and provides positive annual payment updates lasting through 2019. Since MACRA significantly changes the way Medicare pays physicians, we have developed a MACRA Resource Page to help educate neurosurgeons about this topic. In addition to our efforts on MACRA, the Coding and Reimbursement Committee is actively involved in bringing or reviewing new or revised CPT codes, is a strong advocate for appropriate valuation of neurosurgical services and neurosurgery’s Rapid Response Team works tirelessly to ensure that third party payors cover necessary neurosurgical services.
Key Resources
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 10, 2024
Submitted electronically to hbcr.health@mail.house.gov RE: Solutions to Improve Outcomes and Reduce Federal Health Care Spending RFI Dear Chairman Arrington, Representative Burgess and members of the Health Care Task Force: The Alliance of Specialty Medicine (Alliance) represents more than 100,000 specialty physicians and surgeons across 16 specialty and subspecialty societies. The Alliance is deeply committed to […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 10, 2024
Michael Chernew, PhDChairmanMedicare Payment Advisory Commission425 I Street, Suite 701Washington, DC 20001 RE: Assessing and Updating Medicare Payment for Physicians’ Services in CY 2025 Dear Chairman Chernew, The Alliance of Specialty Medicine (the “Alliance”) represents more than 100,000 specialty physicians from 16 specialty and subspecialty societies who are dedicated to the development of sound federal […]
Letter of Support
Last updated: June 10, 2024
The Honorable Mark Green, MDU.S. House of Representatives2446 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515 Subject: Support for Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act Dear Representative Green: The Regulatory Relief Coalition (RRC), a coalition of national physician specialty organizations seeking to reduce regulatory burdens that interfere with patient care, is pleased to support H.R. 5213, […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 10, 2024
Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Minority Leader Jeffries: The undersigned national medical organizations and state medical societies write to strongly urge Congress to quickly pass legislation to stop another impending round of Medicare payment cuts. Absent Congressional intervention, physicians are facing a 3.37 percent payment reduction on January 1, 2024. […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 10, 2024
Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Minority Leader Jeffries: On behalf of the 54 organizations representing physicians and other health care providers across the United States, we write to urge Congress to stop the 3.4% cut in Medicare physician payment that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently finalized […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Dear Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries: Thank you for your ongoing leadership in expanding access to virtual care and for your commitment to consideration of permanent telehealth access policies. We write today to encourage passage of the Telehealth Expansion Act of 2023 (S. 1001/H.R. 1843), which the House Ways & Means Committee advanced on a […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Dear Representatives Wenstrup, Murphy, and Burgess: The undersigned national medical organizations and state medical societies deeply appreciate your leadership in drafting a proposal to reform the budget-neutrality policies that have been eroding Medicare physician payment levels in recent years. Your October 4 draft legislation would add needed stability and predictability to Medicare physician payments. Click […]
Letter of Support
Last updated: June 10, 2024
The Honorable Michael Burgess, ChairHealth Care Task ForceHouse Committee on the BudgetU.S. House of RepresentativesWashington, DC 20515 Via: hbcr.health@mail.house.gov Dear Congressman Burgess: The Regulatory Relief Coalition is pleased to have the opportunity to respond to the Budget Committee Health Care Task Force’s August 25, 2023, Request for Information (RFI), soliciting input on actions Congress could […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell: Thank you for your ongoing leadership in expanding access to virtual care and for your commitment to consideration of permanent telehealth access policies. We write today to urge the U.S. Senate to support the passage of the Telehealth Expansion Act of 2023 (S. 1001/H.R. 1843), which the […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Dear Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo: On behalf of the undersigned 46 organizations, representing over 1.2 million physician and nonphysician providers and the patients they serve, we are writing to urge Congress to halt the implementation of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systems add-on code G2211, set forth by the Centers […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Dear Congressman Smith, Congresswoman McMorris Rogers, Congressman Neal and Congressman Pallone: On behalf of the undersigned 46 organizations, representing over 1.2 million physician and nonphysician providers and the patients they serve, we are writing to urge Congress to halt the implementation of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systems add-on code G2211, set forth by the Centers […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
John G. Finkenberg, MD, PresidentNorth American Spine Society7075 Veterans Blvd.Burr Ridge, IL 60527 SUBJECT: NASS Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring Policy Dear Dr. Finkenberg: On behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves (DSPN), we appreciate the […]
Amicus Brief
Last updated: June 10, 2024
Case No. 23-40217 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT TEXAS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION; TYLER REGIONAL HOSPITAL, L.L.C.; DOCTOR ADAM CORLEY,Plaintiffs-Appellees,v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; DEPARTMENT OF LABOR; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY; XAVIER BECERRA, SECRETARY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; JULIE A. SU, ACTING SECRETARY, U.S. […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Ms. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, AdministratorCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesDepartment of Health and Human ServicesAttention: CMS-1784-PP.O. Box 8016Baltimore, MD 21244-8016 Submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov RE: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2024 Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Advantage; Medicare […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Ms. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, AdministratorCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesU.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesATTN: CMS-1786-PP.O. Box 8013 Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 Submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov Subject: CMS-1786-P Medicare Program: Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs; Payment for Intensive Outpatient Services in Rural Health […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Ms. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, AdministratorCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesU.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesATTN: CMS-1784-PP.O. Box 8013Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 Submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov Subject: CMS-1784-P Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2024 Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Via email: ExecutiveResponseTeam@aetna.com SUBJECT: Medical Policy Number 0016 “Back Pain – Invasive Procedures” Dear Mr. Kane and Drs. Moffitt and McDonough, On behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves (DSPN), we write to express our […]
Position Statement
Last updated: June 11, 2024
2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule Summary Overview On July 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Proposed Rule. According to the proposal, the proposed rule’s relative value unit (RVU) provisions will result in an overall -1% cut in neurosurgery payments. In addition […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, AdministratorCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesU.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesAttention: CMS–3421–NCMail Stop C4–26–057500 Security BoulevardBaltimore, MD 21244–1850 Subject: Notice with Comment – Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies (CMS3421-NC) Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure: On behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), representing more than […]
Letter of Support
Last updated: June 10, 2024
Subject: Support for Gold Card Legislation Dear Representatives Burgess and Gonzalez: The Regulatory Relief Coalition (RRC), a coalition of national physician specialty organizations seeking to reduce regulatory burdens that interfere with patient care, is pleased to support H.R. 4968, the Getting Over Lengthy Delays in Care As Required by Doctors (GOLD CARD) Act of 2023. […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Tamara Syrek Jensen, DirectorJoseph Chin, MD, Deputy DirectorCoverage and Analysis GroupCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services7500 Security Blvd.Baltimore, Maryland 21244 SUBJECT: Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty of the Carotid Artery Concurrent with Stenting (CAG-00085R8) Proposed Decision Memo Dear Ms. Jensen and Dr. Chin: On behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Dear Speaker McCarthy and Leader Jefferies: We write again to bring to your attention a matter of great urgency. Financial uncertainty in our nation’s health care system has been growing for years, and further escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite spending significantly more on health care than other industrialized countries, the United States continues to […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 10, 2024
Subject: Inclusion of Prior Authorization Provisions in Health Care Price Transparency Act Dear Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Neal, On behalf of the Regulatory Relief Coalition (RRC), a coalition of national physician specialty organizations seeking to reduce regulatory burdens that interfere with patient care, we are pleased to see that the House Committee on Ways […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, MPPAdministrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Attention: CMS-1784-PP.O. Box 8016Baltimore, MD 21244-8016 RE: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2024 Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Advantage; Medicare and Medicaid Provider and Supplier Enrollment Policies; and Basic Health […]
Comment Letter
Last updated: June 11, 2024
Pamela Villanyi, MD, Medical OfficerCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesCMS NCCI Program TeamAudits and Vulnerabilities GroupCenter for Program Integrity7500 Security BoulevardBaltimore, MD 21244-1850Pamela.villanyi@cms.hhs.gov Submitted electronically via NCCIPTPMUE@cms.hhs.gov SUBJECT: NCCI PTP Edits for Column 1 CPT codes 22630, 22632, 22633 and 22634 with Column 2 CPT codes 63052 and 63053 Dear Dr. Villanyi: On behalf of […]
