Advocacy News

Ophthalmology department chairs of several leading medical schools have sent letters to the VA undersecretary for health expressing concern for a recent change to community care guidelines.

Ophthalmologist and U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health expressing concern that the agency removed language from community care guidelines allowing only ophthalmologists to perform invasive procedures.

In a 50-plus-page letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator, we urged the agency to engage with Congress to ensure appropriate physician reimbursement and reform of the Medicare payment system.

Nine out of 10 physicians surveyed by the American Medical Association said for patients whose treatments required prior authorization, the process had a somewhat or significant negative effect on their clinical outcomes. The Academy continues to work with our members and partners to press for reform.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has acceded to Academy-led efforts to eliminate or at least reduce the unnecessary burden imposed by CMS’ prior authorization program for hospital outpatient department services, including removing CPT code 67911, a type of corrective lid surgery, from the list.

What Medicare reimbursement and physician payment reforms are on the horizon and how does Medicine break out and restore equity for physician payment?

At Mid-Year Forum 2021, health care leaders and Academy members discussed the burdens of step therapy and how we can advocate for change within the Biden administration. 

The promised exemption takes effect May 1 for facilities with 90% initial approval rate. 

New system comes with new bonuses and penalties as a means for emphasizing value over volume in patient care

Ophthalmology payments reduced by 1 percent as agency ignores RUC recommendations