MGMA Advocacy Archive

MGMA's government affairs department has been working to represent the interests of group practice administrators for 15 years. Below is an archive of our letters and advocacy efforts sent to the White House, Congress, and other regulatory entities.

Please visit our Advocacy Center to contact your legislators on current healthcare issues.

2013

• MGMA comments to OIG on the EHR safe harbor
• MGMA urges Congress to prevent the sequestration cuts 
• MGMA letter to NAMD on Medicaid payment parity
• MGMA comments on definition of Meaninful Use for Stage 3
• MGMA letter to CMS on claim denials of TC for certain physician pathology services

2012

• Letter to congressional leadership on preserving in-office ancillary services
• MGMA letter to HHS Secretary on EFT/ERA
• MGMA opposed RAC review of E/M codes
• MGMA and others urge Congress to stop Medicare payment cuts under sequestration
• MGMA comment on the 2013 proposed Medicare physician fee schedule
• MGMA, AMA letter to CMS on three-day payment window delay
• Joint letter to Congress on preserving in-office ancillary services
• Letter to Ways and Means committee on Medicare payment reform
• MGMA letter to CMS requesting the agency rescind the three-day payment window expansion
• MGMA commented on proposed rule on the ICD-10 delay and HPID
• MGMA letter to CMS requesting an extension for the e-prescribing penalties deadline 
• MGMA commented on the proposed rule on Stage 2 of Meaningful Use
• MGMA commented on the proposed rule regarding Medicare overpayments
• MGMA and 110 other organizations commented on the proposed Medicare overpayment rule
• MGMA submits comments on proposed 855I changes 
• MGMA to CMS: synchronize quality reporting, re-evaluate penalties  
• MGMA seeks delay of new CMS policy on POS coding 
• MGMA and others expressed concern over the RAC prepayment review demo
• MGMA requests additional enforcement delay for HIPAA 5010
• MGMA submitted comments to HHS on EFT/ERA final rule
• MGMA sent recommendations to HHS for the ICD-10 implementation process 
• MGMA wrote to Chairman Pitts encouraging repeal of the IPAB
• MGMA comments on proposed physician payment “sunshine” rule 
• MGMA's joint letter on the proposed physician payment 'sunshine' rule
• Letter to HHS regarding the major payment disruptions caused by the transition to HIPAA 5010
• Joint letter to the House Ways and Means Committee on repealing the SGR

2011

• MGMA comments on proposed rule to decrease healthcare regulatory burdens
• MGMA comments on Medicare Advantage proposed rule implementing patient ID cards
• MGMA comments on the CMS emergency request regarding prepayment review
• Sign-on letter to Joint Committee on the upcoming SGR payment cuts
• MGMA supports repeal of the 3 percent Withholding Tax
• Comments to MedPAC regarding draft recommendations for the SGR repeal
• Joint letter to MedPAC regarding draft recommendations for the SGR repeal
• Letter to CMS outlining problems with the e-prescribing penalty exemption process
• MGMA and others encouraged the Joint Committee to include medical liability reform in their deficit reduction talks
• MGMA and others urged the Joint Committee to protect Medicare funding for Graduate Medical Education
• MGMA, the AMA and others called on the Joint Committee to repeal the SGR
• MGMA letter to Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to repeal the SGR
• Letter to CMS on HIPAA administrative simplification operating rules
• Comments to CMS on the proposed 2012 Medicare physician fee schedule
• MGMA comments on proposed rule repealing the signature requirement for lab requisition forms
• MGMA letter to CMS regarding Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs)
• MGMA and others commented on the Medicare data release proposed rule
• MGMA calls on HHS to withdraw the accounting of disclosures proposed rule
• MGMA calls on CMS to revise its 2012 e-prescribing penalty process
• MGMA sent a joint letter to Congress opposing imaging cuts and restrictions in debt negotiations
• MGMA encouraged Congress and the president to keep physcian reimbursement off limits when considering budgetary savings proposals
• Joint letter to Congress on 2011 MedPAC recommendations regarding imaging 
• Joint letter to Congress onTrade Adjustment Assistance imaging cuts 
• MGMA, the AMA and other physician organizations submitted comments and recommendations in response to the proposed Rule, "Methods for Assuring Access to Covered Medicaid Services"
• MGMA and 112 medical societies urged the administration and Congress to include repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula as part of the deficit reduction plan
• MGMA commented on the proposals regarding the Medicare Shared Savings Program implementing ACOs
• MGMA reached out to the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee regarding Medicare physician payment reform
• Letter to HHS on responsible party for setting "operating rules" for HIPAA transaction standards 
• Joint letters to Congress calling for a bipartisan solution to the SGR  
• Letter HHS on revising the current penalties for the e-prescribing incentive program  
• Comments to the Office of the National Coordinator regarding its proposal for Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use Incentive
  Program 
• Request for CMS to ease the registration process for eligible providers for the EHR Incentive Program
• Commendation of Representative Phil Gingrey, MD on his introduction of H.R. 5, the "Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely, Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2011."
• Comments to CMS regarding the agency's Proposed Rule concerning the Medicaid Program: Recovery Audit Contractors  
• MGMA asked CMS to improve its process for addressing inaccuracies on their Physician Compare Website
• MGMA and others wrote a letter to CMS regarding the agency's Proposed Rule on the Medicaid Program: Recovery Audit Contractors 
• MGMA,and others urged HHS to intervene and revise the government's policy on e-prescribing penalties for 2011  

2010

• MGMA and the American Medical Association call for a National Testing Period for the change to the Version 5010 HIPAA transaction standards 
• Letter to Office for Civil Rights commenting on theaccounting for disclosures (privacy) rule  
• Letter of concern about the coverage of preventive services required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) 
• MGMA and 33 other provider organizations sent a letter to the DEA expressing concern with the interim final rule on the e-prescribing for controlled substances
• MGMA comments on proposed changes to HIPAA privacy and security rule
• MGMA comments on the final Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2011
• MGMA and 49 other medical associations urged CMS to extend the deadline for physicians to change their Medicare participation or non-participation status

2009 

• Member-only analysis of the final 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
• Comments on the final "Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2010"
• Impact chart released with proposed 2010 Medicare physician fee schedule by specialty 
• Impact chart released with proposed 2010 Medicare physician fee schedule for certain procedures 
• Sign on letter to CMS regarding new enrollment requirements for ordering/referring physicians.
• Comments on the "Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2010"
• Comments to the Senate Finance Committee's "Transforming the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs"
• "Concerted Focus of the Profession of Medicine to Advance Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare" letter to President Obama.
• Letter to Senate Budget Chairman Conrad, urging him to support the Administration's FY 2010 budget proposal that supports replacing the sustainable growth rate

• MGMA's comments to the Senate Finance Committee's "Transforming the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs"

2008

• MGMA comments on the "Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Other Part B Payment Policies for Calendar Year 2009"
• Letter sent to Senators urging support and co-sponsorship of "Save Medicare Act of 2008"  
• MGMA's final 2009 Medicare physician fee schedule analysis
• MGMA comments on proposed 2009 Medicare physician fee schedule
• Chart: Impact of Final Rule with Comment Period and Estimated Physician Update on 2009 Payment for Selected Procedures

2007

• MGMA comments on the “Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Other Part B Payment Policies for Calendar Year 2008”
• MGMA comments on the 2008 proposed Medicare physician fee schedule
• MGMA comments on PECOS Web Security Consent forms
• MGMA comments on the Medicare enrollment form (855 A and B)
• MGMA comments on PECOS and enrollment form security
• MGMA comments on the appeal process for Medicare enrollment determinations 

2006

• MGMA joins coalition members to urge Congress to halt 2007 imaging cuts