A total of around 89,000 providers have been sent revalidation notices so far, top CMS officials said in an open door call this afternoon (Oct. 27). That makes up about 6% of the 1.5 million providers who are impacted by the latest revalidation initiative. Those 89,000 letters were mailed by Medicare contractors in the last half of September, said Mark Majestic, a CMS official.

Many of your peers are say they will reduce their Medicare patient loads or drop out of Medicare completely if Congress doesn’t remove the 30% sustainable growth rate (SGR) pay cut set to hit in 2012, according to a study released by the Medical Group Management Association(MGMA) Monday.

“Our data reflects a dire Medicare environment for physician practices,” said Susan Turney, MD, MGMA’s president and CEO. “The SGR is a runaway train that threatens the future of Medicare.” The Oct. 24-released study polled more than 2,176 practices in which more than 93,000 physicians practice from mid-September through mid-October. 

You’ll face less risk and fewer administrative hassles if you choose to participate in an accountable care organization (ACO), thanks to changes made in the final ACO rule, released today in the Federal Register. CMS took pains to review feedback from physician advocacy groups and believes the final rule takes many of their biggest concerns into account, top agency officials said during a conference call with reporters.

Ever had an idea that could make Medicare better? Well, CMS wants to bring you and your awesomeness onboard to the Innovation Center’s new Innovation Advisors program, CMS announced in an Oct. 18 news release.

CMS is looking for 200 health care professionals to expand their skills and knowledge, and apply what they learn in their organizations and areas through this new program as a part of health reform. Participants will go through an intensive orientation and then go on to work with the Innovation to test new care delivery models in their own organizations and communities, CMS says.  Participants will also get the chance to tote their own ideas regionally and across the national stage.

Primary care providers will get additional revenue opportunities soon thanks to new Medicare coverage determinations for alcohol misuse and depression, CMS announced in a press release Oct. 14. Medicare will cover screening for alcohol misuse and behavioral counseling for those found to be misusing alcohol. Depression screening will be covered for primary care practices that have “staff resources to follow up” with treatments and referrals, the agency said.