October 2, 2017: MACRA letter on CMS flexibility with QPP

October 2, 2017  

Dear Chairman Walden and Ranking Member Pallone:

The undersigned state and national specialty medical organizations share a common interest in ensuring successful implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). Since the enactment of MACRA, we have worked closely with policymakers and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure that implementation of the law reflects the intent of Congress to focus payment on improving quality and value and that physician practices are able to successfully participate.

Thanks to statutory provisions designed to provide necessary flexibility during implementation, CMS has been able to ensure that practices can participate from the outset and increase their engagement over time as physicians and other clinicians become more accustomed to the new reporting requirements and CMS finalizes cost measures, improves data feedback, and provides tools to improve performance and help providers succeed. In order to continue the progress made to date, we believe that there are several specific adjustments that will require statutory changes or clarification before CMS is required to publish proposed rules for the program’s third year of operation.

View the full letter