The American Medical Group Association — which represents 450 multispecialty groups of more than 175,000 physicians — sent a letter to the Hill Tuesday for the continuation of policies driving value-based reimbursement forward.
"It is very clear that policymakers want to transform how healthcare is financed and provided," wrote Donald W. Fisher, PhD, AMGA president and CEO. "Our priorities are based on the need to address the obstacles that are preventing providers from succeeding in a risk-based system that values and rewards quality instead of the volume of services provided."
The letter calls for greater access to Medicare claims data, standardization of data and the ability to invest in value-based care infrastructure tax-free. It also lists a number of improvements needed to ensure the success of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act.
Among those requests, AMGA calls for all ACOs to be considered advanced alternative payment models under MACRA and for the inclusion of Medicare Advantage revenue in calculations that determine if a provider is qualified as an advanced APM.
Lastly, the letter calls for more funding for graduate medical education programs and for lifting the cap on federally funded residency slots to help address the growing physician shortage.
Read the full letter here.
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