of free and low-cost services and ma- terials to help Texas physicians pre- pare for MACRA. See “TMA Prep Tips for MACRA,” page 46.) The anticipated release date for the


final rule is on or around Nov. 1, 2016, with data collection to begin on Jan. 1, 2017. “How can anyone possibly get ready


in 60 days?” Nancy Bowman, execu- tive director for Dr. Read’s practice, asked Mr. Gronniger. “I mean, seri- ously? Seriously?” In its formal comment on the rule,


TMA told CMS that data collection for 2017 should start no sooner than July 1, with only six months of data to be col- lected and reported in that first year. Numerous other stakeholders pushed for similar delays. Mr. Slavitt acknowledged that he


had heard those concerns in an ex- change with members of the Senate Finance Committee in mid-July. “We need to launch this program


so that it begins on the right foot,” he said. “Some of the things that we’re considering include alternative start dates, looking at whether shorter pe- riods could be used, and finding other ways for physicians to get experience with the program before the impact of it really hits them.” A nationwide survey of physicians


released the same day as the Sen- ate committee hearing underscored the need to move more slowly. The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions 2016 Survey of U.S. Physicians found that only half of non-pediatric physi- cians in the country had even heard of MACRA, and 32 percent said they just recognize the name. Visit tma .tips/29VJUTC for more survey results.


BETTER THAN WHAT COULD HAVEBEEN U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R- Lewisville), the primary House au- thor of the MACRA bill and an obste- trician-gynecologist, admits “there have been a couple of surprises” in how CMS is proposing to implement the legislation. Dr. Burgess made SGR repeal his primary goal through seven


September 2016 TEXAS MEDICINE 45 FINANCING TEXAS FOR 100 YEARS


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