AHA Suggests Changes to CMS OPPS, Surgery Center Physician Supervision Policy

The American Hospital Association released a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that suggests changes to the hospital outpatient proposed payment system and ASC rule, specifically its physician supervision and quality data reporting policies.

In the letter, the AHA expressed concerns over CMS's proposal for physician supervision "incident to" outpatient therapeutic services. The association suggests CMS revise its definition of "direct supervision" and to allow non-physician practitioners to provide direct supervision in cases such as outpatient cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation or psychiatric services. By making these changes, the AHA feels the proposed rule will better fit the way care is provided across the spectrum of hospitals.

The AHA also opposed CMS's proposal to publish outpatient quality data that was not validated, which would be publicly reported on Hospital Compare, according to the letter.

Additionally, the letter voices concerns over other proposed rules such as CMS's proposed payment rate for separately covered outpatient drugs and calls for the quick implementation of a quality reporting system for ASCs.

Read the news release about the AHA's suggested changes to the OPPS proposed rule.

Read the AHA's comment letter on the OPPS proposed rule (pdf).