CMS finalizes 2016 Medicare, other physician payment system rules

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued final rules detailing how the agency will pay for services provided to beneficiaries in Medicare and other payment systems by physicians and other health care professionals in 2016.

Key policies finalized in the 2016 payment rules include:

• Finalizing the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing model.
• Finalizing updates to the “Two-Midnight” rule.
• Finalizing the End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program.
• The new, post-SGR physician payment system, supporting patient- and family-centered care. This is the first Physician Fee Schedule final rule since the repeal of the SGR formula by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.
• Finalizing provision to support patient- and family-centered care for seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries by enabling them to discuss advance care/end-of-life planning with their providers.