According to an article published in Healthcare Finance, the American Medical Association (AMA) has unveiled 3 online tools that will help physicians prepare for the upcoming finalization of MACRA (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015). All 3 tools are available on the AMA website and only require a login to the site, not membership in AMA.
The AMA Payment Model Evaluator offers physicians initial assessments to help them determine how MACRA will affect their practices and which of the proposed paths for care, measurement of and reporting will be best suited for them. The modules were developed with physicians with input from partners, and aim to provide physicians and their staff with a brief assessment of their practices to see where they stand under MACRA, and relevant educational and actionable resources.
To start, physicians complete an online questionnaire. The evaluator then provides guidance as to which MACRA payment model is most appropriate and how to participate. The Evaluator will be automatically updated to reflect regulatory changes as they are made.
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The second tool, STEPS Forward, is a collection of MACRA-specific modules that focus on “practice improvement strategies.” There are currently 42 modules, each focusing on a specific topic and offering practical solutions, implementation guidance, case studies, continuing medical education and accessible tools and resources.
The topics include implementing team-based care, electronic health record selection and implementation, preparing practices for value-based care, implementing team documentation, and Quality Reporting and the importance of Qualified Clinical Data Registries in optimizing success.
For additional help, the AMA has also made available on their site a 5-episode podcast series, “Inside Medicare’s New Payment System.”
In a statement, the AMA said, ”Physicians and their practice staff can use these to help improve practice efficiency and ultimately enhance patient care, physician satisfaction and practice sustainability.”
References
“AMA Unveils MACRA Tools for Understanding How Law May Affect Payments.” Healthcare Finance News. Updated October 5, 2016. Available at: http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/ news/ama-unveils-macra-tools-understanding-how-law-may-affect-payments. Accessed October 6, 2016.
