January 2005 Practice Update
Since the Committee on Practice meeting in December 2004, there have been developments on several issues of importance to the Committee. Included below is the updated information.
ASH Comment Letters
Since the 2004 ASH Annual Meeting in December, the Committee on Practice has been involved in several activities related to physician reimbursement, the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System, hematology representation at the RUC, and the RUC’s upcoming five year review. We thought you would be interested in seeing the final products of these recent efforts. Below, please find the following links to the ASH Web site:
ASH Efforts at Upcoming RUC & PERC Meetings
ASH will be presenting at the February Practice Expense Review Committee (PERC) to prevent code 38320 bone marrow harvesting from being zeroed out. In addition, the issue of adding a hematology/oncology seat may be discussed. We will report back to the Committee following the meeting.
ASH Efforts at Upcoming APC Meeting
ASH is planning on getting on the agenda of the February meeting of the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) Groups to discuss hematology’s concern about CMS moving Code 36515, therapeutic apheresis with extracorporeal immunoadsorption and plasma reinfusion, from APC 0112 paying $2,127 to APC 0111 paying $725. CMS is making the change because the charge data it has for this code supports the lower payment level. Although ASH had urged CMS to leave this procedure in APC 0112 in our comments to the Physician Fee Schedule Rule, CMS rejected this comment. Due to the unsatisfactory response, ASH hopes to bring the issue before the APC Advisory Committee when it meets at the end of February.
ASH Efforts to Assist Hematology Representatives to Medicare Carrier Advisory Committees (CAC)
The Committee on Practice continues to find ways to assist hematology representatives to Medicare Carrier Advisory Committees (CAC). The Committee has initiated an effort to nominate/renominate representatives to assure hematology’s representation on all CACs. If Committee members have suggestions for how the Society can work with hematology representatives or if you know of any colleagues who would be interested in serving as a hematology representative, please contact Stephanie Kart. In addition, ASH is planning the 7th Annual Hematology/Oncology/SGO CAC Network Meeting scheduled for July 22-23 in Washington, DC. More details will be sent to hematology representatives shortly.
ASH Committee on Practice Spring Meeting
The ASH Committee on Practice Spring Meeting has been scheduled for May 3-4 in Washington, DC. The meeting will begin at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday and conclude Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday will consist of a business meeting and advocacy training, followed by visits to Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
Travel, hotel, and agenda-related information will follow shortly.
If you have questions, or need more information, please contact ASH Director of Government Relations and Practice Mila Becker at (202) 776-0544.
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