Following the analysis of survey results that were inconsistent with Medicare's assumptions on the impact of the decision to eliminate payments for consultation codes, a coalition of more than 30 physician groups urged a review of this policy in the 2011 Physician Fee Schedule Rule. 

IDSA comments on a Medicare Rule that makes significant changes to the physician enrollment process. Please read a May 2010 IDSA News article on this issue for more information.

In reponse to the Drug Enforcument Administration's (DEA) Interim Final Rule on electronic prescribing for controlled substances, IDSA and other medical specialties acknowldeged changes that reponded to comments to the Proposed Rule (September 2008) but emphasized that more changes are necessary to minimize the administrative burden on providers.

A coalition of physician and hospital groups argue that changes are needed to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) meaningful use proposed rule in order to accomplish the Administration's goal of promoting widespread adoption of health information technology (HIT).

Due to ongoing uncertainty regarding the 2010 physician payment udpate, a coalition of physician groups has urged Medicare officials to extend the deadline by which physicians can change their participation or non-participation status in the program.

IDSA and other physician organizations cautioned that, without significant changes, the Proposed Rule to implement the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs would not lead to widespread use of health information technology among physician practices.

The Society offers a number of suggestions that would simplify the reporting requirements for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Payment Programs and expand the number of ID physicians eligible to participate.

A coalition of physician groups urge President Obama to seek agreement at the February 25 health reform summit on bipartisan reforms to effectively address the broken medical liability tort system.

IDSA and other physician group urge Congressional leaders to include a legislative amendment (SA 3163) that would delay for one-year Medicare's decision to eliminate payments for consultation codes in the final the final health system reform conference agreement.

IDSA and other physician groups support a legislative amendment (SA 3163) that would delay for one-year Medicare's decision to eliminate payments for consultation codes.

Knowlegis Download AK Hart Senate Office Building 825C Washington DC (202) 224-3004 (202) 224-2354 Vacant (202) 224-6665 (202) 224-5301 AL Russell Senate Office Building (202) 224-4124 (202) 224-3149 (202) 224-5744 (202) 224-3416 AR Dirksen Senate Office Building (202) 224-2353 (202) 228-0908 (202)

SPECTER MEDICARE CONSULTATION CODES AMENDMENT TALKING POINTS Specter Amendment No. 3163 delays by one year implementation of the CMS provision in the 2010 final physician rule which eliminated payments for Medicare physician consultation codes. During the interim period, CMS shall consult with the AMA s Curr

SA 3163. Mr. SPECTER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2786 proposed by Mr. Reid (for himself, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Harkin) to the bill H.R. 3590, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the first-time homebuyers credit in the case of members of the Armed Forces and ce

IDSA and other physician groups support a legislative amendment (SA 3163) that would delay for one-year Medicare's decision to eliminate payments for consultation codes. Please click here to view a press release in support of the amendment.

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Without intervention from the Secretary (or Congress), these codes will no longer be covered by Medicare beginning January 1, 2010.

November 25, 2009 Jon Blum Director Center for Medicare Management Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Mr. Blum: Thank you and your staff for taking the time to meet with the American Medical Association (AMA) on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Several medical specialty societies have urged the American Medical Association (AMA) to oppose efforts to eliminate payments for inpatient and outpatient consultation service codes. Please click here to view a recent AMA letter to CMS.

IDSA and other physician specialty societies urge physicians who are members of the U.S. House of Representatives to support passage of the H.R. 3961, "the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act."

A coalition of medical specialty societies urge the U.S. House of Representatives to follow-up its passage of health care reform legislation with a vote on H.R. 3961, "the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act," which would repeal and replace the dysfunctional formula that sets annual physician payment updates under the Medicare program.

The Society responds to a request from Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) officials regarding novel payment mechanisms, including Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), that would offer financial incentives to infection control medical directors for meeting pre-established infection control targets.

The Society sends all members of Congress a letter and Public Policy Statement (CID, October 2009) that outlines its concerns with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposal to eliminate payments for the consultation service codes.

IDSA joined over 100 physician specialty and state medical societies in urging Congress to overhaul the physician payment formula, the Sustainable Growth Rate, as part of its larger effort to pass health care reform legislation.

In a letter to President Obama, IDSA and several other medical groups supported his call for medical liablity reform.

Knowlegis Download AK Hart Senate Office Building 825C Washington DC (202) 224-3004 (202) 224-2354 Vacant (202) 224-6665 (202) 224-5301 AL Russell Senate Office Building (202) 224-4124 (202) 224-3149 (202) 224-5744 (202) 224-3416 AR Dirksen Senate Office Building (202) 224-2353 (202) 228-0908 (202)

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Why Eliminating Payments for Consultations Would Hurt Access to Infectious Diseases Care IDSA has developed this summary document to assist infectious diseases (ID) physicians in their outreach to Congress and local media outlets regarding their concerns with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pro

Why Eliminating Payments for Consultations Would Hurt Access to Infectious Diseases Care IDSA has developed this summary document to assist infectious diseases (ID) physicians in their outreach to Congress and local media outlets regarding their concerns with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pro

In their comment letter, IDSA and HIVMA 1) urged Medicare to reconsider the proposal to eliminate payments for consultation services; 2) thanked the Agency for the decision to remove Part B drugs from the physician payment calculation; 3) supported a shift in coverage of all appropriate preventive vaccines to Medicare Part B; 4) and commented on several value-based purchasing related proposals.

As health care reform moves forward, IDSA comments on several health care delivery system reform options being considered by Congress. The comment letter was sent to the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the House Ways and Means Committee.

Why Eliminating Payments for Consultations Would Hurt Acc ess to Infectious Diseases Care IDSA has developed this summary document to assist infectious diseases (ID) physicians in their outreach to Congress and local medi a outlets regarding their concerns with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servi

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   Dear IDSA Member On July 1, 2009 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule for Calendar Year 2010. A key provision of

The Society joined more than fifty other medical organizations in urging key members of Congress to include medical liability reform in health care reform legislation.

The Society submits comments in response to a draft health care reform bill under consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives.  The comment letter was sent to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the House Education and Labor Committee.

Due to a provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, commonly referred to as the Stimulus Package (H.R. 1), physician practices that are meaninful users of health information technology (HIT) will be eligible to receive financial incentives beginning in 2011. The IDSA and other medical groups have developed a series of recommendations for Defining and Demonstrating Meaningful Use of Certified Electronic Health Records.

The Society joins SHEA in urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to review its Hospital-Acquired Conditions payment policy before identifying additional conditions for non-payment. The comments also respond to CMS' proposal to add eight HAI quality measures to its Reporting Hospital Quality Data for Annual Payment Update (RHQDAPU).

The Society joined a coalition of medical groups in urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to use statutory authority granted by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 to cover all adult vaccines under Medicare Part B. Currently, while influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B vaccines are coverd under Part B, all other vaccines are covered under Medicare's Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D). IDSA has supported previous attempts to shift all Medicare-covered vaccines to Part B due to access issues and quality concerns that have resulted from treating vaccines as prescription drugs under Part D.

Action Alert: Increase Funding For Ryan White Part C Programs! BACKGROUND: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education is scheduled to make decisions about federal funding for HIV programs, including the Ryan White Part C Program, on Tuesday, July 28th .

IDSA joins other medical specialties in supporting a set of principles that should guide health care reform efforts. These principles include: 1) repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) physician payment formula; 2) test new and innovative payment models before implementation; 3) promote healthy lifestyles and appropriate use of medical services; 4) improve quality reporting initiatives and incentives for participation; 5) promote appropriate and effective care; 6) increase the allocation of resources to the Medicare program. 

In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator regarding the EHR incentive payment provision included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, Dr. Anne Gershon urges the Agency to adopt an inclusive definition of "eligible professionals" who will qualify for the incentive payments.   

As health care reform gains momentum, a coalition of physician groups write Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to outline their common goals and strategies for improving health care delivery and making affordable, high-quality care available to all Americans.

In a letter to Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and other members of the Senate Finance Committee, Dr. Anne Gershon expresses the Society's support for health care reform but urges the Congress to carefully consider the potential for unintended consequences in enacting delivery system reform, including new payment methodologies. This letter also was sent to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

A coalition of physician groups urge Congress to support President Obama's proposal to include $329.6 billion in the 2010 budget to fix physician payments over the next ten years. Previous Administrations’ budgets included an unrealistic assumption that Congress would allow steep physician payment cuts to go into effect.

An outbreak of shiga toxin-producing E. coli in Danish children was traced back to beef sausages using an unusual epidemiological tool: credit card receipts.  The case is described in the April 15, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

A coalition of medical societies continue to express concerns to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that the Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) program is not the appropriate vehicle to reduce billing mistakes and increase payment accuracy. The coalition urges that CMS replace the RAC's with an education and outreach campaign focused on correct coding.

A new study finds swimming, having a private well or septic system, and other factors not involving food consumption were major risk factors for bacterial intestinal infections not occurring in outbreaks.

A coalition of medical specialty societies urges the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to support a physician payment update in 2010 that reflects the full increase in medical practice costs without a productivity adjustment.

IDSA's and HIVMA's comments addressed 1) efforts to apply the Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) Payment Policy to other settings, 2) the Agency's decision not to finalize the claims- and group-based reporting options for the four HIV/AIDS measures included in the 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), 3) the Agency's cost and time estimates for providers who choose to participate in the PQRI and E-Prescribing Incentive Program, and 4) plans to publicly release physicians' quality and efficiency scores.

<12$%EktAllowRating12$%> False <12$%EktInclude_on_Home_Page12$%> False Version 4.0 11/xx/2009 Page 353 of xx Measure #159: HIV/AIDS: CD4+ Cell Count or CD4+ Percentage 2010 PQRI REPORTING OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL MEASURES: REGISTRY ONLY DESCRIPTION: Percentage of patients aged 6 months and older with a diagnosis of HIV

<12$%EktAllowRating12$%> False <12$%EktInclude_on_Home_Page12$%> False Version 4.0 11/xx/2009 Page 183 of xx Measure #83: Hepatitis C: Testing for Chronic Hepatitis C – Confirmation of Hepatitis C Viremia 2010 PQRI REPORTING OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL MEASURES: REGISTRY ONLY DESCRIPTION: Percentage of patients aged 18 ye

Sign a petition calling on President-elect Barack Obama to take leadership in implementing routine testing across the country.

Claims Based Reporting Options REGISTRY BASED REPORTING OPTIONS January 1 – December 31, 2009 July 1 – December 31, 2009 4 Individual Measures 5 Individual Measures  At least 3 measures 80% of applicable Medicare cases HIV measures reporting option At

Claims Based Reporting Options January – December 31, 2009 July 1 – December 31, 2009 1 Individual Measures    3 measures (or 1 2 measures if less that 3 apply) 80% of applicable Medicare cases Include appropriate quality data codes

2010 PQRI Measures List Version 4.0 11/13/2009 Page 1 of 26 The 179 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) measures were developed by various organizations for 2010. The following is a list of each measure, the measure developer, contact information and method of reporting available. Questions regarding the cons

A plan for implementing routine HIV testing in the U.S.

The Society signs on to a letter urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to delay transitioning from the ICD-9 to the ICD-10 diagnosis code set for five years following publication of the 5010 HIPAA electronic transactions standard final rule. This transitional period will allow adequate time to implement HIPPA 5010, to fully study the cost of implementing ICD-10, and to train physicians and other health care professionals on ICD-10.

The Society collaborated with the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges to draft a sign-on letter that urges the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and its intermediaries to refrain from auditing consultations services until the Agency's policy for billing these services is clarified and appropriate provider education has been completed.

The Society joins other medical societies in urging the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to make changes to the e-Prescribing for Controlled Substances Proposed Proposed Rule that would minimize the burden to providers who prescribe controlled substances. Please click here for a list of controlled substances covered by this rule.

The Society joins other medical societies in urging the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to make changes to the e-Prescribing for Controlled Substances Proposed Proposed Rule that would minimize the burden to providers who prescribe controlled substances. Please click here for a list of controlled substances covered by this rule.

In their comments, IDSA and HIVMA responded to 1) efforts to promote gainsharing arrangements, 2) proposed changes to the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, 3) efforts to identify mis-valued services under the Physician Fee Schedule, and 4) the Agency request for comment on the feasibility of applying the Hospital-Acquired Conditions Non-Payment provision to the physician office setting.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently submitted a draft ICD-10 implementation plan to the Office of Managment and Budget (OMB) to conduct a regulatory impact analysis. The attached sign-on letter urges the OMB to recommend that HHS: 1) fully document the impact that the ICD-10 conversion will have on all public and private stakeholders; 2) precede the national roll-out of ICD-10 with a pilot test; 3) incorporate adequate training time for ICD-10.

Following a meeting in which Medicare officials stated the Agency's intent to develop a Physician Compare Website, IDSA submitted comments questioning the applicability of such a website for infectious diseases physicians.

The Society joins SHEA in expressing concern over Medicare's decision to propose five additional infectious conditions for which hospitals will no longer receive additional payments if the selected conditions are not present on admission. 

In early May 2008, Medicare released new incident-to billing guidelines which were set to take effect on June 2. Due to serious concerns that these new and administratively burdensome guidelines could negatively impact ID clinicians' ability to provide outpatient infusions and other ancillary services through their practice, IDSA signed onto a letter urging Medicare to delay implementation of the new guidelines until their potential impact could be analyzed in greater detail. Medicare subsequently decided not to implement the new guidelines.

Letter to Secretary Leavitt urging an extension to allow physician practices and others to continue to submit transactions that contain both legacy and NPI numbers for a minimum of six additional months after May 23.

Letter to Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommending development of a consensus-driven implementation process and timeline for the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10).

Letter to the Chairman of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission regarding some concerns with MedPAC's recommendations to bundle payments around a hospitalization.

A coalition of physician specialty and state medical societies urge Senators to co-sponsor the Save Medicare Act of 2008 (S. 2785). This legislation, which was introduced by Senator Debbie Stabenow, would ensure physicians receive fully funded payment increases for the next 18 months.

Guidelines for Infectious Diseases Expert Witnesses • CID 2005:40 (15 May) • 1393 I D S A G U I D E L I N E S Guidelines for Infectious Diseases Specialists Serving as Expert Witnesses Infectious Diseases Society of America Infectious diseases (ID) physicians are often called upon to provide expert witness testimony in

If enacted, the Medicare Improvement Act of 2007 would improve seniors' access to vaccines by shifting all preventive vaccines into Medicare Part B.

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Information designed to explain Medicare's quality improvement efforts to our clinician members and their staff.

The Society joins other medical organizations in urging Congress to preserve the functions and structure of Quality Improvement Organizations

The Society joins other medical organizations in urging CMS to provide regulatory and administrative flexibility for the inclusion of physician quality measures in the 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

IDSA urges third party insurers to select and implement appropriate ID-specific accountability measures into physician-level quality reporting programs. 

IDSA urges Medicare to recognize the role of the ID consultant in managing the treatment of highly complex immune-compromised patients as well as the importance of ID physicians/hospital epidemiologists in reducing the prevalence of healthcare-associated infections.

The Society urges the grocery store chain to partner with qualified providers in its local communities to offer travel medicine services that comply with the intentions of IDSA's Travel Medicine Guidelines.

IDSA urges the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to develop model formulary guidelines for Medicare Part D drug plans that include all drugs used to treat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and multi-drug resistant bacterial infections.

A coalition of medical societies urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services not to expand the anti-markup rule to apply to diagnostic tests that are provided outside of the "space in which the physician organization provides substantially the full range of patient care services." 

Organizations representing physicians, pharmacists, and biotechnology companies urge Senators Baucus and Grassley to make Medicare coverage of home infusions a priority item for the Finance Committee's Medicare Bill.

IDSA and others urge Senator Reid to work with House leaders to include two-year physician pay fix in final SCHIP conference agreement.

In its comments, IDSA and HIVMA urged Medicare to 1) work with Congress to enact long-term reform of the physician payment system; 2) remove Part B drugs from the physician payment calculations; and 3) work with Congress to shift coverage of all appropriate preventive vaccines to Medicare Part B.

Several medical specialty societies joined IDSA in signing onto a letter that urges Congress to enact home infusion legislation, which would provide Medicare beneficiaries with meaningful access to home infusion therapy services.

IDSA joined SHEA and APIC in developing recommendations to improve Medicare's implementation of a legislative provision that mandates eliminating payments for certain hospital-acquired conditions, including infections, that were not present on admission.

IDSA joined SHEA and APIC in developing recommendations to improve Medicare's implementation of a legislative provision that mandates eliminating payments for certain hospital-acquired conditions, including infections, that were not present on admission.

What the new law means for the practice of infectious diseases medicine 

Report of cost analysis of Office-Based Non-Chemotherapy Infusion Therapy Services, Resource Group, Inc.

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The Society sends letter to key Congress members to express ID physicians support for the CHAMP Act. If enacted, the CHAMP Act would reauthorize and enhance the State Children's Health Insurance Program as well as pave the way for long-term reform of the physician payment formula while also stabilizing physician payments in 2008 and 2009. For more information, please review the section-by-section summary of the CHAMP Act.

The UN-Sustainable Growth Rate 2001 through 2016 Physicians' costs up 40%; Medicare Payments down 41% Growth in Medicare Economic Index (MEI) vs. Physician Payments-50%-40%-30%-20%-10%0%10%20%30%40%20012003200520072009201120132015MEIMedicare Physician Payment Rates Source: Physician payments and MEI data from Centers f

Physician Payments Compared to Other Medicare Providers 2004 through 2006 0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%Medicare AdvantageHospitalsNursing HomesPhysicians2004200520062007 While other Medicare providers receive annual payment updates based on the increased cost of treating patients, physician payment updates have not even kept up w

Physician Payment Cuts The Problem • The Impact • The Solution The Problem   Cuts Imminent Q  How much will Medicare physician payments be cut? A   Physicians are slated to receive eight years of consecutive Medicare payment cuts, totaling 40 percent  These payment cuts

Physicians face steep payment cuts beginning in 2010 unless Congress finds a long-term and sustainable solution to the physician payment problem.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website. 

Rule allows Medicare to adjust certain payment rates when normal rates are grossly excessive or deficient. IDSA's concerns related primarily to a potential negative impact on ID physician practices and Medicare patient access to services should the rule be applied to outpatient drug reimbursements.

In its comments, IDSA urged CMS to: 1) define what constitutes an "emergency" situation; 2) insert a provision that allows for immediate drug acquisition in "emergency" situations; 3) create narrowly configured drug categories w/ functionally similar drugs; 4) create competitive acquisition areas that factor in both population density and geographic boundaries; 5) reduce the administrative burden of the CAP.

IDSA urges the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to: 1) reduce the administrative burden of the CAP; 2) provide more clarity in the definition of emergency situations; 3) allow maximum flexibility to administer CAP drugs at locations other than the office setting.

In its comments, IDSA urged that: 1) the Sustainable Growth Rate physician payment formula be replaced with one that more accurately reflects the cost of practicing medicine; 2) physician-administered drugs be removed from the physician payment formula; and 3) a new quality of care demonstration project be created to include non-oncology medical specialties that administer Part B drugs.

IDSA and HIVMA urge the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to include all drugs and classes of drugs commonly used by infectious diseases specialists to treat conditions such as drug resistant bacterial and fungal infections, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis.

IDSA urges the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to finalize the Evaluation and Management service codes work Relative Value Unit recommendations included in the Proposed Notice.

IDSA signs onto letter urging Medicare to replace the proposed physician work budget neutrality adjustment with an adjustment to the 2007 conversion factor.

In its comments, IDSA urged Medicare to: 1) replace the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) physician payment formula with one that provides positive, stable and predictable updates; 2) remove physician-administered drugs from the SGR; and 3) expand coverage and increase reimbursment for vaccine products and their administration.

Transmittal #788 (Suggested Revisions Included) 30.6.10 – Consultation Services (Codes 99241 -99255) (Rev.788) A. Payment for Consultation Services Carriers pay for a reasonable and medically necessary consultation service when all of the following criteria for the use of a consultation code are met: • A physician or q

IDSA played a key role in crafting suggested revisions to Medicare Transmittal #788, which states the Agency's policies surrounding consultation services. These suggested revisions, which are supported by numerous medical specialties, were sent to Medicare officials for their consideration.

IDSA urges Medicare to make changes to formulary guidance in the Draft 2008 Call Letter, including: 1) establishing safe harbor reimbursement rates for the administration of Part D-covered vaccines; 2) endorsing the use of web portals by Part D plans as a way to interface with physicians that administer vaccines; 3) allowing physicians to administer Part D-covered vaccines using their existing vaccine inventories.

IDSA joins other physicians specialty societies in urging Medicare to help avert a 10% physician payment cut by taking several administrative steps, including removing the cost of Part B drugs from the physician payment calculation.

IDSA Thanks Representative Eliot Engel and other Congressional co-sponsors for introducing the Medicare Home Infusion Therapy Coverage Act of 2007.

IDSA signs onto letter that supports passage of medical liability reform legislation, titled the Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2007. This legislation would limit non-economic damages to $250,000 and promote speedier resolution of disputes.

IDSA asks the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to modify its physician payment formula by removing physician-administered drugs from the Sustainable Growth Rate that is used to calculate physician payments and taking into consideration the costs of new laws and regulations on physician practices.

Such cuts may cause patient access problems.

HIVMA comments on the revisions to proposed regulation 1300.74 regarding referrals to HIV/AIDS specialists

Urged Harry R. Kimball, MD, President of the American Board of Internal Medicine, and Marjorie A. Bowman, MD, President of the American Board of Family Practice, to support the development of a Certificate of Added Qualification in HIV Medicine.

Commented on the California Department of Managed Health Care proposed addition to the California code of Regulation that will define an HIV specialist for managed care organizations.

This legislation will modify the beneficiary policy and improve physician payments.

Legislation would provide regulatory relief to physicians by modifying Medicare's current audit procedures.

These letters, signed by IDSA, AMA, and others, urge key members of Congress to support House and Senate versions of the Preserving Patient Access to Physicians Act of 2005 which, if passed, would halt scheduled Medicare physician payment cuts for two years and provide an opportunity for Congress to design a payment system that appropriately reflects the costs of practicing medicine.

IDSA sends letters thanking House sponsors of legislation that would stop the physician payment cuts scheduled to begin in 2006.

IDSA sends letters thanking Senate sponsors of legislation that would provide for a positive physician payment update in 2006 and an update in 2007 that reflects practice cost inflation

IDSA sends letter to key members of Congress urging them to support MedPAC's recommendation to update physician payments by 2.8% in 2007.

IDSA signs onto House and Senate letters urging Congress to avert the 2007 Medicare physician payment cut, which could cause access problems for millions of Medicare beneficiaries.

IDSA asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to modify the work relative value units of several groups of evaluation and management codes during the Five-Year Review of the Medicare Fee Schedule.

IDSA joins other medical specialty societies in urging Congress to delay implementation of ICD-10-CM.

IDSA joins other medical specialty societies in thanking Congressman Joe Barton for his support of Health Information Technology Reform, including statutory exceptions to the physician self-referral and anti-kickback statutes.

IDSA and other medical specialties send letters urging the health insurance industry to implement changes that would result in more appropriate compensation for physicians performing services mandated by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

IDSA signs onto letters urging Congress to avert the Medicare physician payment cuts and provide 2-years of positive payment updates, beginning in 2006.

IDSA and HIVMA urge the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to develop model guidelines for Medicare Part D drug plans that include all drugs used to combat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and MRSA.

IDSA continues to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to refine the Average Sales Price (ASP) drug payment program because ID physicians cannot purchase most antibiotics at or below ASP+6%.

IDSA asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to redefine the Average Sales Price (ASP) drug payment methodology to factor in additional variables, including third party mark-up and costs associated with shipping, inventory maintenance, and storage.

IDSA urges the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as part of the NPI deployment process, to develop a comprehensive implementation and outreach strategy in order to avoid unnecessary costs, delays, and disruptions.

IDSA and other medical specialties urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to work towards the development of a multispecialty practice expense (PE) survey that can collect recent, reliable, and consistent PE data across all specialties.

Infectious Diseases Society of America’s (IDSA) Statement on Medicare Coverage of Outpatient Intravenous Antimicrobial Therapy For the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committee Hearings, which urged Congressional and Administration Leaders to support Medicare Coverage for Home Based Antimicrobial Infusion Therapy.

Infectious Diseases Society of America’s (IDSA) Statement Concerning Medicare Coverage of Home-Based Outpatient Antimicrobial Intravenous Infusions and Medicare Reimbursements for Outpatient Part B Drugs and Infusion Services.

IDSA signed onto this letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about MUE Implementation

The letter, signed by, IDSA, AMA, and others, supports projects to enhance quality of patients' care through the institution of pay-for-performance mechanisms, but opposes using the finite funding pool dedicated to physician payments for this purpose.

IDSA signed on to a letter to John R. Lumpkin, MD, MPH, Chair of the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) outlining the physician perspective on the issues.

IDSA supports: 1) the expansion of student loan interest deductions to allow borrowers to deduct interest payments on their student loans and the increase of income eligibility to claim the full deduction; and 2) the exclusion of amounts received as part of a scholarship, fellowship or grant from taxable income if used for qualified higher education expenses by undergraduate and graduate recipients.

  Opposed congressional efforts to force physicians to adopt proposed ICD-10-PCS physician coding system until the National Committee on Vital Health Statistics has completed its assessment and cost/benefit analysis.

  Sent to House and Senate Appropriations Committees   May 19, 2003 The Honorable Ted Stevens Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee S-128 Capitol Washington, DC 20510 Dear Mr. Chairman: The undersigned

Sought sufficient flexibility in third party payors' HIPAA contingency plans to avoid confusion and disruption in claims processing.

IDSA supports the continued use of Common Procedural Terminology - CPT which relies on just over 8000 codes rather than the more than 170,000 codes contained in ICD-10-PCS.

Supports the development of thoughtful, physician-vetted uniform national standards for e-prescribing that are not mandatory.

Urged Bush Administration officials to remove drug costs from the expenses that are counted towards the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR).

As CMS begins its Five Year Review of physician billing codes, IDSA, and others request the agency to reevaluate relative value units for relevant Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes. The comments emphasize how the work related to E/M Services has changed significantly over the last ten years.

IDSA supports the elimination of the five percent ownership limit and the $25,000 limit on financial or contractual relationships between home health agencies and physicians who certify and recertify the need for home health services.

Cautioned the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) that its proposal for a new prospective payment system for hospital outpatient services would limit patient access to vital new treatments, such as Vancomycin hcl injection and other antibiotics in a letter. The proposal also would create incentives to provide care—such as immune globulin intravenous—in settings that may not be appropriate for some patients.

In its comments, IDSA urged CMS to: 1) withdraw the ASP payment program until critical methodological, patient access, and implementation issues are addressed; 2) increase the relative value units (RVUs) to better reflect physician costs involved in administering infusions; 3) cover all seven adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) under the Physician Fee Schedule; 4) remove Part B drugs from Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula.

In its comments, IDSA urged that: 1) physician-administered drugs be removed from the Sustainable Growth Rate calulation; Average Sales Price rates for drugs be listed as interim in the final PPS; 3) ID physicians' work supervision and risk not be ignored as CMS moves forward to implement Medicare coverage of home infusion therapy (HIT); and 4) ID physicians be permitted to be providers of HIT.