The legislation was passed by Congress on April 15, 2015 and signed into law by the President on April 16, 2015. It introduces sweeping changes to the reimbursement methodologies and financing of health care in the United States. This includes a notable shift away from the traditional fee-for-service model and towards accountable care organizations (ACOs), risk-based payment, and a focus on quality and population health. The good news is the legislation increases payments to physicians until the end of 2019, when risk-based payment options will be based on the Merit Based Payment Incentive Systems (MIPS) will go into effect. Billy Wynne, a noted health policy expert, writes that beginning in 2020-2026 "For every doctor that makes more from the MIPS, there will be one who makes less. A true zero sum game, if you will." Beginning in 2026 the government is hoping the majority of physicians will be participating in Accountable Care Organizations or other Alternative Payment Systems. As your society, we will help you find advisors to work through these dramatic changes as the health systems push to reduce not patient related costs.
Billy Wynne: http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2015/04/14/may-the-era-of-medicares-doc-fix-1997-2015-rest-in-peace-now-what/
By Norman Silverman, MD, with Ryan McKennon, DO and Ren Carlton