The American Medical Association and more than 150 medical groups sent a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma regarding the administration's proposed updates to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.
The healthcare groups, representing physicians and other health professionals, said they support CMS' efforts to simplify documentation requirements, including the proposal to stop requiring physicians to re-document information that has already been entered in the patient's record by practice staff or by the patient.
The groups said they oppose the proposal to collapse payment rates for eight office visit services for new and established patients down to two each.
"We oppose the implementation of this proposal because it could hurt physicians and other healthcare professionals in specialties that treat the sickest patients, as well as those who provide comprehensive primary care, ultimately jeopardizing patients' access to care," states the letter.
The groups said they want to work with CMS to help develop appropriate coding, payment and documentation requirements for different levels of evaluation and management services.
More articles on healthcare finance:
Texas microhospital forced to close due to sharp decline in reimbursement
Mississippi hospital files for bankruptcy
Tennessee health system files for bankruptcy, says it owes CHS $28M