CMS to list ABO as ‘certifying board’

CMS will add “certifying board” to its provider credentials next year, and the American Board of Optometry will be included in the list of those boards on Physician Compare at Medicare.gov.

CMS issued a final rule updating payment policies, payment rates and quality provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Jan. 1 or later, and certifying board was included in provider credentials, according to a press release from the American Board of Optometry (ABO).

“This rule reflects a broader strategy to create a health care system that results in better health care and smarter spending by encouraging providers to report to Medicare on cost measures and the quality of care provided to beneficiaries,” the ABO said in the release.

In 2019, the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) will replace the value-based payment modifier for making adjustments to provider payments for quality reporting, the group said.

“This is an important milestone for all certifying boards, especially the American Board of Optometry,” ABO interim executive director James Vaught, OD, said in the release. “Providers should be recognized for their extensive training, and board certification is acknowledged and valued by doctors, insurers and patients alike.”