Articles
CMS Finalizes Payment Cuts for Physicians in 2025
On November 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the final calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), which finalizes policies for physician payment and other outpatient services covered under Medicare Part B.
Humana Imposes Further Restrictions on Medicare Coverage for Neuromodulation Therapies
Open enrollment for Medicare Advantage runs October 15 – December 7. Physicians should be aware that Humana’s Medicare Advantage plan has some of the most rigorous and strict prior authorization requirements for neuromodulation therapies like spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS).
NANS, along with 11 medical societies, presses Humana on coverage for closed-loop SCS
Humana, Evicore, Cigna, and UPMC all had policies that characterized closed-loop SCS as “experimental, investigational and/or unproven.” NANS led efforts with the MPW to issue a letter to Humana, urging them to revise their policy.
NANS Comments on CMS CY 2025 Proposed Rule Making
The North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) crafted a letter in response to the CMS Proposed Rule Making on revisions to Medicare payment policies under the Physician Payment Schedule (PFS) for calendar year (CY) 2025.
Updated HIPAA Privacy Rule Protects Reproductive Healthcare Privacy & Physician Resources
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has modified a Final Rule updating the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This rule prohibits the use or disclosure of reproductive protected health information (PHI) by covered entities and their business associates.
Congressman Luttrell Submits Amendment in Support of the BRAIN Initiative Funding
According to the American Brain Coalition of which NANS is a member, Congressman Luttrell, co-chair of the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus, has submitted an amendment to the Rules Committee in favor of increasing funding for the BRAIN Initiative (H.R. 9029).
NANS Supports MACRA Reform
NANS joins national societies and state medical associations in urging Congress to prioritize and advance key bills and legislative proposals that provide greater financial stability to Medicare physicians and reform the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule: Updates to Physician Payment System
On July 10, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule, which includes proposals related to Medicare physician payment and the Quality Payment Program (QPP).
NANS Leads Response Objecting to Cigna’s Depiction of PNS
In March, NANS learned about Cigna’s Medical Coverage Policy characterizing peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) to treat chronic pain as “not medically necessary.” NANS led the response objecting to Cigna’s depiction of the treatment as lacking medical necessity.
NANS Supports Seniors’ Act to Improve Timely Patient Access to Care
NANS signs on to support the introduction of the Seniors’ Act or the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, bipartisan legislation to streamline the use of prior authorizations under Medicare Advantage.
NANS Leads Response to Washington State’s Draft Guidelines for SCS Coverage
On behalf of the 40,000+ members across 10 medical societies, NANS submitted a response to draft guidelines for SCS coverage proposed by the Washington State Health Technology Clinical Committee.
NANS Supports Protections for Thousands of Medical Providers in Change Healthcare Cyberattacks
In February, Change Healthcare, the nation’s largest processor of medical claims, experienced one of the largest cyberattacks in the healthcare industry, resulting in the loss of patient and claims data.