APMA News Brief

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a proposed revised MACRA rule for 2018 late Tuesday that expands flexibilities of the sweeping change to how physicians are paid.

Visit http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/cms-proposed-revised-macra-rule-continues-pick-your-pace-will-exempt-even-more-clinicians to view the full article online.

U.S. Senate Republicans plan to unveil the text of their draft health-care bill on Thursday as senators struggle over issues such as the future of the Medicaid program for the poor and bringing down insurance costs.

Visit https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-idUSKBN19B2OP to view the full article online.

Slightly more than 500,000 clinicians who participated in the government’s Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) will be hit with a 2% Medicare penalty this year because they didn’t meet program requirements.

Visit http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/just-over-500-000-clinicians-will-be-hit-2-medicare-penalty to view the full article online.

In its June 2017 report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) advised that the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) under MACRA be redesigned.

Visit https://www.healthcare-informatics.com/news-item/payment/medpac-report-pushes-mips-redesign to view the full article online.

As state deadlines approach for payers to decide whether to continue offering plans in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges next year, a new report by Avalere found that 41% of counties may have only one payer option in 2018.

Visit http://www.healthcaredive.com/news/on-exchange-deadline-day-states-are-hoping-for-commitments/445470/ to view the full article online.

If you want to put your best foot forward this summer, go easy on the flip-flops.

Visit http://www.greensboro.com/life/don-t-make-flip-flops-your-sole-choice-in-summer/article_ba091c09-51f2-55da-8ab7-b1d3664b94fd.html to view the full article online.

Unlike our hands or our faces, our feet often don’t get the attention they deserve—likely because they’re usually out of sight, out of mind for half the year. 

Visit https://www.nylon.com/articles/corns-bunions-what-to-know to view the full article online.

In many cases, there is a predisposition for injuries that occur in adolescent athletes. 

Visit http://www.thehour.com/news/article/Running-Doctor-Athletic-injuries-in-children-11231235.php to view the full article online.

Most treatment for diabetic foot ulcers focuses on repairing surrounding tissue and healing the wound, but a new study says that’s the wrong approach. 

Visit http://www.futurity.org/diabetes-foot-ulcers-feet-1462412-2/ to view the full article online.

Toenails are a common condition in which the corner or side of a toenail grows into the soft flesh.

Visit http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/health/4284628-home-remedies-complications-ingrown-toenails to view the full article online.

The recent rash of cybercrimes that either directly targeted or impacted healthcare institutions, including May’s WannaCry ransomware attack, demonstrates that many in the medical community don’t have strong enough electronic security. 

Visit http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/medical-economics/news/recent-cyberattacks-expose-physician-practice-weaknesses to view the full article online.

Medical practice administrators need rigorous financial management and payer negotiations to overcome physician dissatisfaction with their compensation, according to the Medical Group Management Association. 

Visit http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/less-half-physicians-are-satisfied-their-compensation-poll-finds to view the full article online.

Recently, health technology investor Malay Gandhi said, "telehealth is a runaway, unassailable trend that will become the predominant way people receive care." 

Visit https://www.healthdatamanagement.com/opinion/why-providers-are-dragging-their-feet-with-virtual-care to view the full article online.

Multiple studies in recent years have shown a high degree of physician frustration with their electronic health record (EHR) systems, but reports have also shown that some physicians are more satisfied than others.

Visit http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/medical-economics/news/make-most-ehr-demo to view the full article online.