Advocacy in Action
ACP to Congress: Protect Physicians From Overwhelming Medical School Student Loan Debt
ACP member testifies before House Small Business Committee about mounting student loan debt and its limitations for physicians.
AMA News
AMA Opposition to Single-Payer Care Main Issue of Debate at Annual Meeting
Several AMA House of Delegates decisions are in line with ACP policies, recommendations.
Otis Webb Brawley, MD Receives 2019 AMA's Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Otis Webb Brawley, an ACP Master in Atlanta, Georgia, was awarded the 2019 Distinguished Service Award by the American Medical Association Board of Trustees.
Quick Hits
ACP announces its 2018-2019 Annual Report of the Executive Vice President
Be sure to look through ACP's latest Annual Report of the Executive Vice President and CEO, which highlights ACP news and activities over the past year, working both with and for our members on behalf of internal medicine.
In conjunction with the release of the Annual Report, ACP will hold a Town Hall webinar on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. ET. ACP members are encouraged to participate and take advantage of this opportunity to interact directly with College leaders, learn more about ACP key activities, understand how and why the College addresses priority issues, and hear about additional opportunities to get involved. Click here to register.
Internists alarmed by Title X gag rule
ACP is greatly concerned about a federal appeals court decision to allow the Trump administration to proceed on implementing a rule to strip Title X Family Planning Program funding from any clinic that provides abortions or abortion referrals. ACP believes the rule will restrict access to care for millions of patients and impose a major breach in the patient-physician relationship. Read our full statement here.
ACP comments on Executive Order promoting transparency in health care
ACP was encouraged by an Executive Order to improve transparency of health care costs. ACP firmly believes that increasing health care transparency is critical in providing quality, affordable, and accessible health care coverage to patients who need it the most. While ACP supports the concept of the executive order, it should be implemented in a way that does not impose impracticable or excessive administrative burdens on clinicians, practices, and health care facilities in disclosing price data to patients.
New MSSP rules hit July 1
Starting July 1, new rules will kick in under Medicare's flagship Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Program, the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Among other changes, sharing rates for one-sided ACOs will lower from 50% to 40% and ACOs must progress to downside financial risk faster. These changes will apply to new agreement periods that begin July 1, 2019 and thereafter. For more information, read the CMS fact sheet and visit the CMS MSSP website.
CMS seeking feedback on MIPS feedback reports
CMS is currently seeking feedback from stakeholder organizations on experience reports and individual feedback reports for its flagship quality reporting program, the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). If you have information that you would like to see included in the reports, please email ACP at macra@acponline.org
As implementation nears, ACP raises concerns with CMS’ Primary Care First Model
ACP sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Director Adam Boehler voicing concern with its new Primary Care First Model, which is slated to start Jan. 1, 2020. Among other points raised in the letter, application deadlines have yet to be announced and important details related to payment, patient assignment and quality measurement are not expected to be made available until late 2019. Read the full letter here.
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