From: Healthcare DIVE
Author Les Masterson
Dive Brief:
- The Trump administration plans to form a group with representatives from CMS, HHS’ Office of Inspector General, HHS’ General Counsel and the Department of Justice to look at the Stark Law and determine ways to potentially remove regulatory barriers.
- CMS Administrator Seema Verma said providers are asking for the agency to reduce the burden of the regulations, in particular to allow exceptions to the anti-kickback law for alternative payment models.
- She said revamping the regulations could also help quicken the move from fee-for-service to value-based payments, though she acknowledged Congress may need to step in to remove barriers to such care.
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Dive Insight:
The CMS chief made the comments on a webcast with officials from the American Hospital Association this week.
“I think that Stark was developed a long time ago … and the payment systems and sort of how we are operating is different, and we have to bring along those regulations and see what we can do,” Verma said. “I’m not sure that this isn’t going to require some congressional intervention as well. Right now we are committed to looking at the issue, responding to the very specific challenges cited by the providers and are working through it.”