MedPAC Gives Recommendations on MACRA

On June 15th, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) released its June report to Congress. MedPAC is an independent agency established by Congress to advise it on Medicare reimbursement policy issues. Each June MedPAC reports on issues affecting the Medicare program as well as broader changes in health care delivery and the market for health care services. One chapter of the report is dedicated to Medicare’s newly proposed clinician payment systems established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), which are the Merit-based Incentive Payment System and the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM/APM). The underlying theme of the chapter is that MedPAC believes Medicare payments should not be dictated by status of the provider (either MIPS or APM), but rather by the value of service they provide to the beneficiary. The recommendations and opinions reflect that core ideology.