The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule for the CY 2022 Medicare physician fee schedule. American Medical Association (AMA) staff are thoroughly analyzing the 2400+ page rule and will provide a comprehensive summary in the near future. Notably, the 2022 Medicare conversion factor will be reduced by approximately 3.85% from 34.8931 (2021) to 33.5983. This is largely a result of the expiration of a 3.75% increase to the conversion factor at the end of calendar year 2021, as averted in 2021 by Congressional action. The AMA continues to strongly advocate for Congress to avert this significant cut and extend the 3.75% increase for 2022, as it further compounds the growing financial instability of physician practices due to the severe reduction in revenue caused by the continued COVID-19 PHE.

The text of the proposed rule can be accessed at:  https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/current

Link to the CMS Press Release: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-physician-payment-rule-promotes-greater-access-telehealth-services-diabetes-prevention-programs

Link to the Physician Fee Schedule Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-cy-2022-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-final-rule

Link to the QPP Fact Sheet and related material: https://qpp-cm-prod-content.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/1654/2022%20Quality%20Payment%20Program%20Final%20Rule%20Resources.zip

Jim Wilson/

Mix-and-Match Covid Boosters: Why They Just Might Work

The F.D.A. may authorize booster shots of vaccines different from the ones that Americans originally received. The science behind the move is promising.

By Carl Zimmer/The New York Times -Read More Here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/19/health/covid-vaccine-mix-match.html

Biden Administration To Provide Americans With 400M Free N95 Masks Beginning Next Week

The Washington Post (1/19, Diamond, Sun) reports, “The Biden administration plans to distribute 400 million high-quality N95 masks for adults free of charge at thousands of pharmacies and other locations starting next week, a White House official said.” Officials will begin “to ship masks at the end of this week,” and “the program will be fully up and running by early February.” The Post adds, “There will be three masks available per adult. Also, ‘we anticipate making additional, high-quality masks for children available in the near future,’ the official said.”  

MSSNY Opposes Northern District Decision to Permit Religious Exemptions to State’s Healthcare Worker Vaccination Requirements  Statement Attributable to:

Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York 

“We are greatly dismayed by the decision by the Northern District of NY to permit, at least temporarily, religious exemptions to the state’s health care worker vaccination requirements.  We believe this step will result in a flurry of attempts to circumvent the well-reasoned vaccination requirement that was an important step towards reversing the recent surge attributable to the more easily spread Delta variant.

“These vaccination requirements are essential to protecting public health, particularly the immunocompromised, the elderly, and those too young to receive the vaccination.  No major religious denomination opposes vaccinations, and the Supreme Court has for over 100 years upheld vaccination requirements as a means to protect the public health.  We are hopeful that this decision will be reversed two weeks from now when it comes up for consideration again.”

What’s in the COVID stimulus bill for doctors and practices?

The bill contains provisions that benefit doctors and medical practices.

https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/what-s-in-the-covid-stimulus-bill-for-doctors-and-practices:

www.medicaleconomics.com

New Shared Decision-Making Website for Providers Complements FAIR Health Consumer Website