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OOSS is at the forefront of representing the interests of progressive ophthalmic surgeons as federal policymakers put the final touches on a regulation that will proscribe how ophthalmic ASCs are paid and regulated. OOSS is vigilant in ensuring that the hospital industry is not successful in its efforts to prohibit our ability to own and treat our patients at ASCs. Your membership in OOSS is a testament to the importance of these issues. Given the magnitude of OOSS’s legislative and regulatory agenda this year, it is all the more important that you strongly consider elevating your membership to become a member of OOSS’s President’s Council.
How important are these issues to the OOSS leadership we’ve hired our lobbyist of the past 25 years, Michael Romansky, has become a full-time advocate for our organization. Under his direction, we have accomplished a great deal this past couple of years. We have sponsored legislation now moving on Capitol Hill that would provide critical guidance to CMS as it develops the new payment system for ASCs that will become effective on January 1, 2008. Indeed, the proposed rule issued by CMS last summer incorporates many of the principles advocated by OOSS for a decade. ASC payments would be linked to hospital outpatient department rates. ASCs would receive annual cost-of-living updates. Virtually every ophthalmic surgical procedure would now be eligible for facility payment. Cataract facility fees would increase every year; payment for vitreoretinal services would increase by 50 percent.
Our work is far from done and we need your President’s Council support in order to ensure that our patients are able to continue to receive the highest quality care at lower cost In the patient-friendly and convenient ASC environment:
- We must press CMS for important changes in the final ASC payment rule. ASCs should receive a higher percentage of hospital rates. Our facilities should receive the same COLA update as hospitals. Payments for office-type services performed in ASCs should be increased.
- We must continue to vigorously lobby Congress to enact “The ASC Medicare Payment Modification Act,” which will ensure that ASCs are fairly and equitable treated in the decade to come.
- We must strenuously battle federal and state efforts to curtail physician ownership of ASCs.
- OOSS must be a major player at CMS as the agency revises, for the first time in 25 years, the Medicare certification rules.
Your President’s Council dues go toward supporting the ASC ophthalmic ASC advocacy efforts.
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President's Council Membership
OOSPAC
