AMRPA Engages with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to Improve Important Patient Care Tool
Kate Beller, JD, AMRPA Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Development
In January, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an initiative to “combine and standardize” its eight Compare tools (IRF, Nursing Home, Home Health, Hospital, Dialysis Facility, Long-Term Care Hospital, Physician and Hospice Compare) through the creation of a Medicare Care Compare website. The following month, CMS officials invited AMPRA staff to review the initiative changes and share specific considerations for the inpatient rehabilitation hospital section of the new site. Following that outreach, and after delays tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS officially launched Care Compare in September 2020. The new Care Compare site provides a single landing page for the eight CMS Compare tools, and AMRPA carefully assessed the changes made to each of the Compare sites under the new format. CMS has indicated that both the new Care Compare site and the former platform will be available through autumn, enabling the public to compare and comment on the two interfaces. AMRPA, in close consultation with its Quality Committee, drafted comprehensive comments on both the inpatient rehabilitation component of the site and broader policy considerations for CMS as it refines its patient education and engagement tools Highlights of AMRPA’s comments include urging CMS to consider the impact of the COVID-19-related Quality Reporting Program (QRP) data freeze on IRF Compare; a request to refer to IRFs as inpatient rehabilitation hospitals rather than facilities; expanding the number of providers that can be compared from three to five; and using icons and graphics that better reflect the acute-level care provided in our hospitals. While CMS plans to continue refining the site over the coming months, AMRPA’s suggested updates to the site will likely be made within the coming weeks. CMS has also reached out to AMRPA with a request for additional meeting regarding the Compare site and its broader patient education efforts. We will continue sharing updates on these discussions and future developments with AMPRA members. AMRPA's complete comments on the Care Compare website are available on the following pages.
AMRPA Magazine / December 2020 15
