Ready or not, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) Quality Payment Program (QPP) and its associated financial incentives and penalties start next year. Unlike previous pay-for-performance programs, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has done away with “all or nothing” rules for earning payment adjustments with the QPP’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APM).

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) is a major piece of legislation that contains two value-based care programs that will affect nearly all physicians: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APM).

Everyone has heard the buzz about MACRA, but it seems there may be more questions than answers as the new year approaches. Below are the answers to four of the most frequently asked questions about MACRA.

Thanksgiving is a time when we celebrate our families, friends and the many things we are grateful for in our lives. Although it may not occur to them while they enjoy their turkey, pumpkin pie and time with their loved ones, your patients are likely thankful for the many ways that your practice management and engagement tools make their lives easier. In the spirit of the holiday season, here are a few examples of some practice management features that your patients are thankful for!

The 2,398-page final rule for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) was released in October. In the wake of this new ruling, a survey conducted by Medscape found that nearly 30 percent of physicians had never heard of MACRA as recently as mid-September. This seems like a large number of physicians who are still in the dark, considering that the law could positively or negatively affect their Medicare reimbursements by as much as nine percent.

When specialty providers observe that “My patients often don’t do what I tell them,” they are usually describing an issue of engagement. Patients obviously want to be healthy, or they wouldn’t make appointments in the first place. But when appointments are difficult to secure or aren’t kept—and when a kept appointment is the only time the patient connects with the specialty practice—there is an opportunity to increase patient engagement by leveraging technologies for patient access.

When consumers make virtually any purchase, the final choice is most often driven by price. They’ll also want quality, suitability for purpose, etc., but once those criteria are satisfied, price can determine where the purchase is made. This has not traditionally been the case with health care.

Plastic surgery physicians understand the importance of embracing technology — in the treatments and procedures they perform, and also in running their practices. Using outdated technologies can reduce their productivity, increase costs and worse yet, negatively impact the patient experience, which is the foundation of any successful plastic surgery practice.