New CMS Advanced Care Planning Proposal


A new proposal by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare would pay doctors to consult with Medicare beneficiaries on end-of-life treatments, giving the patient their own decision on the type of care they wish to pursue.

FACT: Currently there is no structure in place to pay doctors for providing end of life counseling. This leads to people not being able to make their own life choices and overspending of tax dollars by Medicaid and Medicare. Learn more about Advanced Care Planning here.

In response to the large amount of inquiries, CMS has proposed a program that pays physicians to discuss advanced care treatments with patients under Medicare. This program is meant to give beneficiaries the choice of treatment in the event of a life-threatening illness. The ultimate decision is there’s to make, either pursuing intense medical treatments, or making their wishes known for their relatives/caretakers on writing.

Despite the vast advocacy for a type of advanced care program, there was no structure in place that would pay doctors for this type of counseling. The current option that is available is the “Welcome to Medicare” visit that’s open to any new Medicare enrollee, but that person may not need that type of service when they first enroll. A completely separate payment code for physicians and advance care planning plan gives beneficiaries and doctors the flexibility of choosing the best to time to discuss end-of-life treatments with patients and their families.

Back in May, the American Medical Association, AARP, along with 66 other organizations representing senior citizens and medical societies wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell encouraging the federal government to establish some sort of payment program for advanced care planning.

When Does the New Advanced Care Planning Proposal go Into Effect?

The proposed rule will take effect January 1st, 2016 and was included as part of regulation passed for doctor payments.

Medical Organizations wrote in a joint letter to HHS:

“Published, peer‐reviewed research shows that ACP [advance care planning] leads to better care, higher patient and family satisfaction, fewer unwanted hospitalizations, and lower rates of caregiver distress, depression and lost productivity, ACP is particularly important for Medicare beneficiaries because many have multiple chronic illnesses, receive care at home from family and other caregivers, and their children and other family members are often involved in making medical decisions.”

ACP would take off next year, it’s foundation originates from the recommendations of the American Medical Association. Billing codes would be put into place for physicians to charge for counselling sessions. During these sessions, patients would – Get advice on a range of options, from minimal medical interventions to demanding that every treatment possible be offered near the end of life. Patients can choose whether or not to schedule end-of-life counseling.”

CMS is looking for public Input on it’s new ACP program, stating that

“Today’s proposal supports individuals and families who wish to have the opportunity to discuss advance care planning with their physician and care team, as part of coordinated, patient- and family-centered care,”

Author: Thomas DeMichele

Thomas DeMichele is the head writer and founder of ObamaCareFacts.com, FactsOnMedicare.com, and other websites. He has been in the health insurance and healthcare information field since 2012. ObamaCareFacts.com is a...

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Christine Ballano

Seniors should be educated on how to stay healthy through herbs, exercise, good diets etc. If more emphasis is instilled early in their lives they wouldn’t need doctors and it would be a great savings. Then all they would have to be concerned about is a major offset that would have be taken care of by doctors. I am in favor of Affordable Quality Healthcare for everyone and Protection for Patients against Mistakes and misdiagnosis that are made for the sake of money or lack of knowledge.

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Christine Ballano

I am a senior who unfortunately was not educated early enough to learn on how to invest money to protect myself while working. We were led to believe our pensions would help but only if the Unions didn’t find a way to not have to pay us. Now I am in need of teeth replacement and should be able to get mini implants with my medicare/medicare insurance because it is medical necessity in the long run because they would be great savings factor as opposed to just dentures which eventually don’t work and sometimes make matters worse because they cause the bone deteriorate and the patient can no longer use them. I don’t know about you but I certainly appreciate having a good set of teeth to eat with that don’t slip or move. I have worked all my life and find it disheartening that in my retirement I cannot get the proper dental care just because my Social Security check is so low. I also spend time volunteering my services helping consumers and seniors who need protection against unscrupulous vermin that want to strip them of their money and prize professions. I would like to see a more extensive and affordable dental coverage. Thank goodness I am healthy and don’t have to spend money on medication or doctors

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I oppose this rule- I have encountered ageism for many years now & rationing of health care to my elderly parents. I am a nurse and knowledgeable of treatments for conditions. In the care of my parents, they are not given treatment options, only the ones that are simple and noninvasive, & at times, no medicine. It would be a big mistake to approve this rule. Physician want more money from medicare wth the cut they incur taking care of medicare patients. Ageism is real .The elderly should have the option to have standard of care like a younger person.

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June M. Como, EdD, RN, Clinical Nurse Specialist

I am very much in favor of the new CMS proposal for payment to healthcare providers that have initiated and maintained discussions on end-of-life advanced care planning. The key is to be all inclusive of the type of healthcare providers that this proposal should cover from the very start. In this day and age it is not only the physician that engages the patients in such discussions but also advanced practice nurses (APRNs) such as Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) who care for and engage our citizens in health care decision-making such as end-of-life choices. This is true especially in rural areas where access to physicians are limited. Medicare has acknowledged the role of the APRN in healthcare planning, implementation, and evaluation for more than two decades and now includes prescriptive authority for pharmacological therapies, durable medical equipment and diagnostics. The crafting of this proposal should include the APRN in the reimbursement model in order to enhance access to advanced planning, enhance patient satisfaction and outcomes, and reduce cost, attending to each arm of the Triple Aim.

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