BIO submits comments to Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Criteria for Physician-Focused Payment Models

December 19, 2016

 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Department of Health and Human Services

Attention: CMS-5517-FC

P.O. Box 8013

Baltimore, MD 21244-8013

 

RE: Medicare Program; Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Criteria for Physician-Focused Payment Models

 

To Whom It May Concern:

 

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization appreciates the opportunity to offer comments to the final rule Medicare Program; Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Criteria for Physician-Focused Payment Models.

 

BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. Our membership includes more than 30 companies focused on the research and development of new vaccines to fulfill unmet medical needs and protect Americans throughout the lifespan from a variety of infectious diseases. One of our key priorities is achieving increased adult immunization rates through federal benchmarks and measures that encourage tracking and reporting of recommended vaccines.

 

Vaccines protect us from a variety of common diseases that can be serious and even deadly. Every year, more than 50,000 adults die from vaccine preventable diseases and thousands more suffer serious health problems. Despite Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, vaccines have been consistently underutilized in the adult population and lag behind the Healthy People 2020 goals for the most commonly recommended vaccines (influenza, pneumococcal, Tdap, hepatitis B, herpes zoster, human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)). Disparities are even greater among at-risk populations, including seniors and people with chronic illness, many of the same vulnerable populations Medicare covers across the country.

 

The MACRA rule represents a significant step in the transition of Medicare physician payments away from a volume-based model to a system that incentivizes and rewards value. Measuring provider performance and basing payment on a series of metrics is a complicated process that requires a thorough and highly deliberative...