ISASS Comments on Payer Coverage Policy on New Spine Technology ISASS submitted comments to Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC) on a draft coverage policy for Basivertebral Joint Ablation (BVN). ISASS’ comments reviewed the literature on BVN and included the ISASS policy statement on BVN. ISASS advocated for coverage for BVN under the patient standards outlined...
Congress Extends Medicare Physician Payment Relief Through the End of 2021 The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act suspended the sequestration payment adjustment percentage of 2% applied to all Medicare Fee-for-Service claims from May 1 through December 31, 2020. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, extended the suspension period to March 31, 2021. An Act...
CMS Announces Additional COVID-19 Provider Relief On March 28, 2020, CMS expanded the existing COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments (CAAP) Program to a broader group of providers. Accelerated and advance payments are payments intended to provide necessary funds to Part A providers and Part B suppliers, respectively, when there is a disruption in claims submission...
AMA Releases Report on Physician Service Expenditures in 2020 In March 2021, The American Medical Association (AMA) released a new report “Changes in Medicare Physician Spending During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” which analyzed Medicare claims data exclusive to physician services. The study found that in April 2020, spending dropped to 57% below expected pre-pandemic levels. Medicare...