Bill > S2000

This bill, titled the SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014, aims to replace the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) payment system with a new framework designed to improve physician payments and encourage value-based care. Key provisions include the repeal of the SGR, which had previously dictated annual updates to physician payment rates and often led to unsustainable cuts, and the establishment of a Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) starting in 2018. MIPS will assess eligible professionals based on four performance categories: quality, resource use, clinical practice improvement activities, and meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology, with their composite performance score determining payment adjustments. The bill also promotes alternative payment models (APMs) by offering a 5% incentive payment for qualifying APM participants and encourages care management for individuals with chronic conditions by establishing new payment codes and supporting education and outreach. Furthermore, it seeks to improve the accuracy of physician fee schedule valuations by allowing the Secretary to collect and use more comprehensive data on physician services, revises criteria for identifying potentially misvalued codes, and phases in significant relative value unit (RVU) reductions over two years. Finally, the bill enhances access to Medicare data for qualified entities to support quality improvement activities, promotes interoperability of EHR systems, and encourages the appropriate use of advanced diagnostic imaging services through a program that consults appropriate use criteria.