CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA) today responded to a proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would create new bundled payment models for patients who have a heart attack or undergo coronary artery bypass surgery.
The following is a statement from AMA President Andrew W. Gurman, M.D.
"In the landmark Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), Congress encouraged physicians to participate in alternative payment models that support their efforts to redesign the delivery of patient care in ways that improve quality and outcomes while also restraining spending growth. Under this new proposal, CMS is broadening its models so that physicians participating in its cardiac and orthopaedic models will qualify as alternative payment model participants under MACRA. This is a good step and in keeping with the goals of MACRA.
"Medicare patients are best served by voluntary, physician-led, condition-based models. That CMS is inviting comments on physician-led models in this rule is a positive sign that also tracks AMA recommendations, as well as demonstrating the flexibility needed to achieve the goals of MACRA. Physician leadership is crucial to improve care delivery."
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
