FEDERAL | ASPS Requests Relief for Surgeons under PQRS and Meaningful Use
ASPS joined the AMA and other medical specialty societies in sending a letter to the Trump Administration, urging the President and Congress to take steps to minimize the penalties for physicians who tried to participate in the 2016 PQRS and EHR programs, but who were unsuccessful due to the complexity of the reporting requirements. The letter recommends that CMS create a hardship exemption that would allow physicians who successfully reported on any number of PQRS measures in 2016 to avoid the two percent penalty in 2018.
The letter also encouraged the Executive Office to work with CMS to eliminate automatic cost and resource use penalties, and instead focus on educating and training physicians on cost and quality measures. This would better assist surgeons in identifying areas where performance could be improved. The letter also included an invitation to discuss other ways to ensure fair and accurate measurements of physician performance.