Multiple Chronic Conditions Blog

For the first time, since 1993 life expectancy in the U.S. has declined. Per new government research, life expectancy from birth is 78.8 years for the overall American. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reported the 2015 rates of death increased for health disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unintentional injuries (drug-overdose, motor vehicle accidents and medical mistakes), stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, kidney disease and suicide.

The Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC, 2016) Report overdose deaths involving prescription opioids have quadrupled since 1999, and increase in opioid analgesic sales. From 1999 to 2015, more than 183,000 people have died in the U.S. from prescription opioid overdoses.

Donald Trump’s election as President and Republicans controlling the Senate and the House predict that some type of congressional action with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will occur. Unlike the ACA, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) will NOT undergo significant legislative changes – since this bipartisan legislation passed in the Senate in April with a vote of 92 to 8.

The Quality Payment Program’s first performance period under MACRA (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act), legislation will open on January 1, 2017 and will close December 31, 2017. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services predict 88% of Medicare providers will fall under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System or MIPS beginning as early as January 1, 2017 or as late as October 2, 2017.

On October 14, 2016, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the final rule with comment period implementing the Quality Payment Program - a direct result of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). MACRA legislation ended the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, which threatened providers who participate in Medicare reimbursement with potential payment cliffs for 13 years.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), early this year released the national guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. The primary objective for this guideline is to direct provider and patient communication about the benefits and risks of opioid therapy, improve the safety and effectiveness of pain treatment and reduce the overall risks associated with long-term opioid use.

The Federal Register on July 15th released the Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2017; Medicare Advantage Pricing Data Release; Medicare Advantage and Part D Medical Low Ratio Data Release; Medicare Advantage Provider Network Requirements; Expansion of Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Model.

Since January, 2015 the President’s development of the Health Care Planning and Learning Action Network has produced over 9 White Papers on directing the US health care system on Population Based Payment (PBP) and Clinical Episode Payment (CEP). These White Papers were open to the public for review and comments prior finalization.

A webinar from The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) July 26 will examine how shared decision making can be used to manage chronic conditions and facilitate the long term care planning needs of aging Veterans and adults with chronic conditions.