Executive Order on Protecting and Improving Medicare

Today, President Trump signed an Executive Order “Protecting and Improving Medicare for Our Nation’s Seniors” expanding private Medicare Advantage plans and implementing recommendations derived from a 2017 Executive Order to integrate market-based approaches into Medicare Fee for Service (FFS).  The Executive Order calls for the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop reforms to the Medicare program within one year.

ASA is currently reviewing the document, collecting additional information and developing plans of action for relevant sections. 

Of interest to ASA is a provision that proposes “a regulation that would eliminate burdensome regulatory billing requirements, conditions of participation, supervision requirements, benefit definitions, and all other licensure requirements of the Medicare program that are more stringent than applicable Federal or State laws require and that limit professionals from practicing at the top of their profession”.  

The President’s order calls for a regulation that would ensure appropriate reimbursement by Medicare for time spent with patients by primary care and specialists practicing in all types of health professions.

Additionally, the Executive Order calls for a comprehensive review of regulatory policies that create disparities in reimbursement between physicians and non-physician practitioners and ensure that services provided by clinicians are reimbursed by the work performed, rather than by the clinician’s occupation.

The President’s order also includes provisions to facilitate development of market-driven prices and to improve network adequacy.  You may read the Executive Order in its entirety here.