ASIPP Sends Letters to Congressional Leaders and CMS Regarding Policies Affecting Independent Practices

The American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) has sent formal letters to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz; Representative, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee; Representative James Comer, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee; and Senator Bill Cassidy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

The letters raise concerns regarding several Medicare policies that may affect independent physician practices and patient access to care, including proposed reductions to practice expense reimbursement, implementation of the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM), and physician payment reductions associated with assumptions regarding artificial intelligence-driven efficiencies.

In order to resolve the multitude of issues and protect independent practices into the future, ASIPP is requesting that the following changes are made in the upcoming proposed rule:

1. Modification of Practice Expenses of 6 to 11% Cuts for Independent Physicians by Adding a Modifier to Identify Independent Physicians.
2. Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM) – Which is an Unproven Concept Leading to Major Access Issues and Cuts to be Removed as it also Conflicts with ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model and WISeR (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) Model, and Elimination of Inconsistent ASM Specialty Model Program.
3. Reversal of Efficiency Cuts of 2.5% as There is No Efficiency as Studies Show that AI May Help if at All, 20 Seconds Per Note.

In addition, ASIPP sent letters to all relevant committee members in both the House and Senate, including members of the Senate Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, as well as members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.

ASIPP remains committed to advocating for policies that preserve independent medical practices, protect patient access to care, and promote a sustainable physician payment system.

Copies of the letters are available below:

• Letter to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz
• Letter to Representative Brett Guthrie
• Letter to Representative James Comer
• Letter to Senator Bill Cassidy