May 22, 2023 - The Heart Rhythm Society, and nearly 80 organizations, sent letters to the House and Senate leaders in support of the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S. 1302). The need for physicians continues to grow, and this bipartisan legislation is crucial to expanding the physician workforce. If passed, the legislation will gradually raise the number of Medicare-supported GME positions by 2,000 per year for seven years, for a total of 14,000 new slots.
May 11, 2023 - The date May 11, 2023, marks the end of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration under Section 319 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. This comprehensive resource document Unwinding of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, explains how the coverage waivers and flexibilities enabled by the PHE will be impacted.
April 24, 2023 - HRS and more than 100 national and state medical societies commended House of Representatives Raul Ruiz, Larry Bucshon, Ami Bera, and Mariannette Miller-Meeks for introducing the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 2474 ). If passed, the bill will stabilize Medicare physician payment by providing an annual inflation update based on the Medicare Economic Index. View Submitted Letter
March 15, 2023 - The Heart Rhythm Society, along with more than 100 national and state medical societies, sent a letter to Congress calling for legislation to provide physicians with an annual inflation-based payment update tied to the full Medicare Economic Index (MEI). Unlike nearly all other Medicare providers and suppliers, physicians do not receive an annual inflationary payment update. If enacted, an annual inflation update would provide much needed fiscal stability for physician services. View Submitted Letter
On January 1, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented drastic payment cuts for commonly performed electrophysiology ablation procedures, including ablations for atrial fibrillation (AF) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), despite objections from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and others. To understand the real-world impact of the payment cuts on physician practices, a survey was conducted. Download the survey results.
May 27, 2022 - The Heart Rhythm Society, along with the American Medical Association, and more than 100 other national and state medical societies have endorsed a set of guiding principles for payment reform, Characteristics of a Rational Medicare Physician Payment System. The principals provide a framework to develop policy proposals that will stabilize payment for physician services. Work to develop concrete proposals to meet these goals will continue.
April 14, 2021 - On April 13, HRS submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the Agency to move forward with plans to allow for Medicare coverage of procedures that the FDA identifies as breakthrough technology. The Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology program is intended to establish a pathway to provide Medicare beneficiaries access to new, innovative devices.
August 17, 2020 - On August 3, 2020, HRS submitted a letter to the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommending that hospital data collections remain consistent and transparent. The letter is in response to an announcement revising the data collection process.
July 16, 2020 - The Heart Rhythm Society and the American College of Cardiology sent a letter to UnitedHealthcare advising that it suspends the implementation of prior authorization rules for Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation.
HRS Voices Support for Expansion of GME Legislation
May 22, 2023 - The Heart Rhythm Society, and nearly 80 organizations, sent letters to the House and Senate leaders in support of the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S. 1302). The need for physicians continues to grow, and this bipartisan legislation is crucial to expanding the physician workforce. If passed, the legislation will gradually raise the number of Medicare-supported GME positions by 2,000 per year for seven years, for a total of 14,000 new slots.
End of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
May 11, 2023 - The date May 11, 2023, marks the end of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration under Section 319 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. This comprehensive resource document Unwinding of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, explains how the coverage waivers and flexibilities enabled by the PHE will be impacted.
HRS Signs Letter of Support for Legislation to Stabilize Medicare Physician Payment
April 24, 2023 - HRS and more than 100 national and state medical societies commended House of Representatives Raul Ruiz, Larry Bucshon, Ami Bera, and Mariannette Miller-Meeks for introducing the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 2474 ). If passed, the bill will stabilize Medicare physician payment by providing an annual inflation update based on the Medicare Economic Index. View Submitted Letter
HRS Urges Congress to Pass Legislation to Provide Physicians with an Annual Inflation-based Payment Update
March 15, 2023 - The Heart Rhythm Society, along with more than 100 national and state medical societies, sent a letter to Congress calling for legislation to provide physicians with an annual inflation-based payment update tied to the full Medicare Economic Index (MEI). Unlike nearly all other Medicare providers and suppliers, physicians do not receive an annual inflationary payment update. If enacted, an annual inflation update would provide much needed fiscal stability for physician services. View Submitted Letter
HRS Survey Assessing Impact of Cuts to Ablation Reimbursement in the US
On January 1, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented drastic payment cuts for commonly performed electrophysiology ablation procedures, including ablations for atrial fibrillation (AF) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), despite objections from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and others. To understand the real-world impact of the payment cuts on physician practices, a survey was conducted. Download the survey results.
Read the full article on Heart Rhythm Journal | Read Follow Up Survey Responses
Characteristics of a Rational Medicare Payment System
May 27, 2022 - The Heart Rhythm Society, along with the American Medical Association, and more than 100 other national and state medical societies have endorsed a set of guiding principles for payment reform, Characteristics of a Rational Medicare Physician Payment System. The principals provide a framework to develop policy proposals that will stabilize payment for physician services. Work to develop concrete proposals to meet these goals will continue.
HRS Comments on Plans to Improve Medicare Access to New Technologies
April 14, 2021 - On April 13, HRS submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the Agency to move forward with plans to allow for Medicare coverage of procedures that the FDA identifies as breakthrough technology. The Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology program is intended to establish a pathway to provide Medicare beneficiaries access to new, innovative devices.
HRS Submits Comments on the Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2021
September 21, 2020 - The Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) submitted comments on the Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2021.
HRS Letter to White House Coronavirus Task Force on Data Collection Standards
August 17, 2020 - On August 3, 2020, HRS submitted a letter to the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommending that hospital data collections remain consistent and transparent. The letter is in response to an announcement revising the data collection process.
HRS Advises UnitedHealthcare to Suspend its Implementation of Prior Authorization Rules for Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation
July 16, 2020 - The Heart Rhythm Society and the American College of Cardiology sent a letter to UnitedHealthcare advising that it suspends the implementation of prior authorization rules for Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation.