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VIDEO: CMS 2019 Proposal Offers New Coding Options to GLS
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AUSTIN, Texas — In this exclusive video perspective from GI Outlook 2018, Glenn Littenberg, MD, FASGE, chair of the ASGE reimbursement committee and chief medical officer at inSite Digestive Healthcare in California, discusses a new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposal that would change the way services are documented and paid for starting in 2019.
The revised plan would loosen paperwork requirements for reimbursement, giving physicians more time with their patients, Littenberg told Healio Gastroenterology and Liver Disease.
“Their idea was to try to reduce the burden on clinicians of the documentation to encourage more time spent with patients, and on the other hand, simplify some on the reimbursement side in a way that they think is fair,” he said. “Though it certainly affects different specialties differently, and each of us needs to look at what the potential impact would be on ourselves.”
Littenberg said the process would free up doctors to either spend more time with patients face-to-face, or to focus on medical decision making. The plan could be implemented as soon as January 2019.
“We have to think this through carefully, but quickly,” he said. “We’re available at ASGE to answer any further questions.”
Reference :
Littenberg G. Opportunities in Care Coordination, Transition of Care and Chronic Care Management. Presented at: GI Outlook; Austin, Texas; August 10-12, 2018.
Disclosure: Littenberg reports financial ties to Boston Scientific, AbbVie, Aries, Modernizing Medicine gMed, Ideal Protein Company, and Coding Institute.