About half of hospital-based physicians said they were not knowledgeable about the Medicare physician pay overhaul (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015—MACRA) that began earlier this year, according to a recent survey by KPMG and the American Medical Association. This represents a larger share compared with physicians in other settings.
The survey results showed the percentage of physicians who reported themselves “not knowledgeable” about MACRA and its Quality Payment Program (QPP):
- Hospital-based Physicians: 49 percent
- Solo Practice: 44 percent
- Multi-Specialty Group Practice: 35 percent
- Single-Specialty Group Practice: 41 percent
The survey respondents said they need education about:
- The time required to accurately capture and report performance data: 66 percent
- Understanding reporting requirements: 58 percent
- Understanding overall MIPS scoring process: 57 percent
- Cost required to accurately capture and report performance data: 53 percent
- Organizational infrastructure needed to report performance: 49 percent
Additional key findings from the report appear below:
- Less than one in 10 physicians felt deeply knowledgeable about QPP and its requirements.
- Seven in ten respondents have begun preparing to meet the requirements of the QPP in 2017.
- Of those respondents expecting to participate in the Merit-Based Incentive System (MIPS) in 2017, 90 percent feel MIPS requirements are slightly or very burdensome.
- Respondents said that the time required to report is the most significant challenge today.
- Even those who feel prepared still don’t fully understand the financial ramifications of the program.
How Does MACRA Affect Hospitals?
MACRA’s financial impact on hospital Medicare revenue in 2015-2030 is projected to be anywhere from a $32 billion increase to a $250 billion decrease, according to a recent study in Health Affairs. The losses would result from physician responses that reduce the use of hospital care, such as implementing steps to avoid admissions and readmissions. This should give hospitals a big incentive to focus on the physician payment overhaul. (“Half of Hospital-Based Physicians Not Knowledgeable About MACRA: Survey,” HFMA Weekly, July 8, 2017)
Hospital efforts to educate their employed and affiliated physicians also were evident in the survey. Almost half (45 percent) of the responding physicians reported receiving educational or training sessions on QPP from their practice, hospital, or health system, compared with only 22 percent from a medical society. (“Half of Hospital-Based Physicians Not Knowledgeable About MACRA: Survey,” HFMA Weekly, July 8, 2017)
To read the KPMG/AMA report Are Physicians Ready for MACRA/QPP? click here.
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