The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should expand patients’ access to their highly rated physician-owned hospitals, U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) said recently.
“Through innovation, CMS can optimize the role of physician-owned hospitals to improve health care for American patients, restoring doctors’ liberty and expanding Americans’ access to quality care,” said Rep. Burgess, ranking member on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, on May 24.
Optimizing the role of quality physician-owned hospitals (POHs) also could help lessen the impact of hospital consolidations, which continue around the country, the congressman said.
Specifically, CMS should design a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) demonstration that expands access to POHs, wrote Rep. Burgess and 33 of his colleagues in a May 8 letter sent to CMS Administrator Seema Verma.
“As CMMI continues to examine innovative payment and delivery models in the Medicare program, we ask you to consider a model that improves competition and empowers patients in their treatment decisions,” the lawmakers wrote. “As hospital consolidation is both occurring at a rapid pace and resulting in higher costs for both beneficiaries and the Medicare program, initiatives at physician-owned hospitals are important in maintaining quality and access to health care for American patients.”
Unfortunately, however, Rep. Burgess and the members pointed out that patient access to POHs is hampered by the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits “most grandfathered POHs from expanding to serve additional Medicare beneficiaries,” according to their letter.
“Physician-owned hospitals play an important role in providing quality, efficient and cost-effective care in modern medicine. Patient care begins and ends with doctors, and no one is more aware of this fact than physicians themselves,” said Rep. Burgess last week. “It is wrong that the Affordable Care Act penalizes physicians simply for the two letters behind their name.”
The approach is supported by several organizations, including Physician Hospitals of America and the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, according to Rep. Burgess’ staff.