CMS requests public comments on efforts to streamline patient and provider burden

Today the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shared a new Request for Information (RFI) as part of their efforts to reduce patient and provider reporting burden. The RFI has not yet been published in the Federal Register, but the pre-publication version of the RFI can be found here. CMS will accept comments for 60 days after the document is published in the Federal Register. This section will be updated when the RFI is officially published.

 

June 11, 2019 update: The published version of this RFI is now available here. Comments are due on August 12, 2019. 

 

CMS is looking for the public’s ideas on how to create efficiencies in reimbursement and data reporting. According to the RFI, ideas may include, but are not limited to:

 

• Modification or streamlining of reporting requirements, documentation requirements, or processes to monitor compliance to CMS rules and regulations;
• Aligning of Medicare, Medicaid and other payer coding, payment and documentation requirements, and processes;
• Enabling of operational flexibility, feedback mechanisms, and data sharing that would enhance patient care, support the clinician-patient relationship, and facilitate individual preferences; and
• New recommendations regarding when and how CMS issues regulations and policies and how CMS can simplify rules and policies for beneficiaries, clinicians, and providers.

 

CMS stated that they are particularly interested in recommendations on how CMS could:

 

• Improve the accessibility and presentation of CMS requirements for quality reporting, coverage, documentation, or prior-authorization;
• Address specific policies or requirements that are overly burdensome, not achievable, or cause unintended consequences in a rural setting;
• Clarify or simplify regulations or operations that pose challenges for beneficiaries dually enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid and those who care for such beneficiaries; and
• Simplify beneficiary enrollment and eligibility determination across programs. We are requesting respondents provide complete, clear, and concise comments that include, where practicable, data and specific examples.

 

State and local health and human service agencies may wish to consider opportunities to leverage:

 

• Existing multi-payer programs and technology;
• Unified quality improvement activities and goals;
• Promote streamlined application and enrollment efforts; and
• Successful efforts to reduce quality reporting while achieving common public health goals.