Burgess Welcomes CMS' Proposed Action to Streamline and Improve Medicare

Statement

Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) issued the following statement after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a multitude of proposed changes to strengthen and modernize Medicare for the beneficiaries that rely upon it.

"These proposed changes seek to strengthen the critically-important doctor-patient relationship by reducing unnecessary reporting burdens. Overall, these proposed changes are wide-ranging and impact a variety of areas, including: updating electronic health records requirements to encourage interoperability, reducing unnecessary reporting burdens, encouraging participation in Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), recognizing physicians' participation in Medicare Advantage plans, modernizing evaluation and management billing codes, reducing drug spending, and taking a fresh look at the definition of an applicable lab under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA).

"This proposed rule is far-reaching in its efforts to reduce burden and will help encourage the transition to value and modernize that the Medicare program by adapting to new technology. And while there are many new priorities in this proposed rule, there are also many familiar ones -- such as the implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, the 21st Century Cures Act, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, and our continued efforts to combat the opioid crisis. I am encouraged by the Trump Administration's continued action striving to put patients first, and look forward to working with CMS Administrator Verma as these proposed changes come to fruition."

Source