| action-alert-how-you-can-help-cancel-medicare-payment-cuts | Action Alert! How You Can Help Cancel Medicare Payment Cuts | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-9/action-alert-how-you-can-help-cancel-medicare-payment-cuts | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2022/december/medicare-cta-1-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Protect patient access to care illustrated graphic" /></div>
<h5>December 9, 2022</h5>
<h2>Action Alert! How You Can Help Cancel Medicare Payment Cuts </h2>
<p>If Congress fails to act soon, physician Medicare payments will be cut by 4.5% on Jan. 1, 2023, due to regulatory changes enacted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Cuts of this magnitude would severely impede patient access to care and place further strain on an already stressed practice community. When adjusted for inflation, Medicare physician payments have dropped by 22% from 2001 to 2021. Physicians simply cannot afford to operate under the current payment system.</p>
<p>We have been raising the red flag over these cuts for months-and lawmakers are beginning to listen. But we need to keep the pressure on. The "lame duck" session of Congress is always a chaotic time with numerous priorities and interests vying to be included in the final must-pass package. It's urgent that the physician community push back on these cuts and ensure that physicians and patients don't get lost in the end-of-year shuffle.</p>
<p><strong>What can you do to help cancel the cuts:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Contact your lawmakers through this link and share it with your colleagues: <a href="http://www.bit.ly/PhysicianMedicare">www.bit.ly/PhysicianMedicare</a></li>
<li>Share this link with your patients: <a href="http://www.bit.ly/PatientMedicare">www.bit.ly/PatientMedicare</a></li>
<li>Reach out to your member of Congress to schedule a meeting/phone call.
<ul>
<li>Download the AMA'sCancel the Cuts Action Kit: <a href="http://www.bit.ly/MedicareActionKit">bit.ly/MedicareActionKit</a></li>
<li>Contact <a href="mailto:PoliticalAffairs@ama-assn.org">PoliticalAffairs@ama-assn.org</a> if you need help connecting with your member of Congress or need tips on how to effectively communicate your message and prepare for your meeting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Time is running out. <a href="https://physiciansgrassrootsnetwork.org/be-heard?vvsrc=/campaigns/96014/respond">Contact Congress now</a> and demand that they protect patients and practices by canceling these devastating Medicare cuts in their entirety before the clock strikes zero.</p>
</div> | 12/9/2022 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| cms-announces-rulemaking-to-improve-prior-authorization | CMS Announces Rulemaking to Improve Prior Authorization | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-9/cms-announces-rulemaking-to-improve-prior-authorization | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>December 9, 2022</h5>
<h2>CMS Announces Rulemaking to Improve Prior Authorization </h2>
<p>In a breaking development this week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the commencement of rulemaking to streamline prior authorization.</p>
<p>The proposed rule shares many elements of the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (S. 3018/S.R. 3173)<em>, </em>national legislation for improving prior authorization supported by the American Medical Association and the WSMA. Rule provisions include concepts such as tightening turnaround times and use of an electronic portal among others and would apply to Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans. <a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-proposes-rule-expand-access-health-information-and-improve-prior-authorization-process">Read the CMS press release for details</a>.</p>
<p>Prior authorization is a top advocacy priority for the WSMA and we continue to push at all levels for improvements to the process in the interest of expediting access to care for patients and relieving administrative burden for physicians. We're pleased to see CMS take action on the issue with rulemaking.</p>
<p>At the state level, the WSMA has been formulating legislation for the 2023 legislative session that would effect similar improvements to prior authorization among state-regulated health plans. WSMA staff is assessing how our legislative proposal intersects with the draft CMS rule. We will continue highlighting this issue in Olympia and the "other" Washington and will keep members apprised of developments.</p>
</div> | 12/9/2022 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| prior-authorization-abortion-access-medicaid-rates-top-list-of-2023-wsma-legislative-priorities | Prior Authorization, Abortion Access, Medicaid Rates Top List of 2023 WSMA Legislative Priorities | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-9/prior-authorization-abortion-access-medicaid-rates-top-list-of-2023-wsma-legislative-priorities | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>December 9, 2022</h5>
<h2>Prior Authorization, Abortion Access, Medicaid Rates Top List of 2023 WSMA Legislative Priorities</h2>
<p>WSMA's government affairs team will highlight these and other WSMA legislative priorities during a webinar on <a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApc-ugqz4pE9IXUUHeiTCjN4q1HKfMfLvo">Tuesday, Dec. 13, at noon</a>. The hour-long session will serve as an opportunity for WSMA members to preview the 2023 state legislative session that begins in January and learn more about WSMA's legislative priorities and the health care policy landscape. Members are encouraged to participate-there will be time during the session for you to provide feedback on any concerns or issues you or your practice are facing. Register for the webinar <a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApc-ugqz4pE9IXUUHeiTCjN4q1HKfMfLvo">online</a>.</p>
<p>Medicaid reimbursement, prior authorization, and ensuring access to abortion and reproductive health care services will also be among the priority fiscal and policy issues that will be the focus of the 2023 WSMA Legislative Summit, scheduled for Feb. 3, in person at the Capitol. We hope you will don your white coats and join us in Olympia to help advocate for these WSMA legislative priorities-<a href="[@]wsma/events/legislative_summit/wsma/events/wsma_legislative_summit/Legislative_Summit.aspx?hkey=795731a5-79ba-45b0-b78b-b9dfbfc336e5">registration for the Feb. 3 event is free</a> (lunch will be provided).</p>
</div> | 12/9/2022 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |