The newly appointed Alabama Medicaid Advisory Commission is tasked with evaluating the financial structure of the Alabama Medicaid Agency and identifying ways to increase efficiency while also helping ensure the long-term sustainability of the agency and reporting their recommendations to Governor Robert Bentley before the 2013 Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature. The Alabama Medicaid Advisory Commission has published no recommendations to date.
A new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study published on Jan. 8, 2013 shows that fewer than one-in-five health care providers meet Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) requirements.
At present health care providers that meet the PQRS requirements receive a one half percent bonus. In 2015 health care providers that do not meet the PQRS requirements will pay a penalty. Added costs could be as high as one billion dollars in 2015.
Performance in 2013 will dictate what health care providers will pay in 2015.
Alabama politician’s campaign contributions from health care providers could decrease if the legislature does not become active in demanding PQRS requirement compliance this year. One option for health care providers is to drop Medicare and Medicaid patients which will decrease federal dollars received by Alabama to support Medicare and Medicaid.
The complete report can be read here and was reviewed at the Eureka Alert website the date of publication.
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