July 18, 2024
Over the past few months, the UCA team, alongside our dedicated lobbyist, McDermott+, has been working tirelessly to engage the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Congress and advocate for Urgent Care as a solution to ED overcrowding and overutilization. We have eagerly awaited news on whether Urgent Care would be mentioned in the latest Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and we are delighted to report that Urgent Care was indeed included in the recent release of the PFS.
This milestone moment signifies a significant achievement for Urgent Care, but our journey is far from over. We remain committed to actively engaging with CMS to ensure Urgent Care centers receive the support they deserve nationwide. Next steps include drafting our comment letter. The more CMS hears from Urgent Care, the more likely they are to continue down this path. We will also look to Congress for support as well.
As always, federal Advocacy requires persistence and determination, and we are immensely proud of the progress we have made thus far. Together, we will continue to advocate vigorously for higher reimbursement rates and greater recognition of the pivotal role Urgent Care centers play in our healthcare system.
Your unwavering support is invaluable to our efforts, and we are eager to see what the next year holds for our industry. Thank you for standing with us as we work to secure a brighter future for Urgent Care.
Aetna will adjust its payment policy for surgical services provided in Urgent Care centers, as well as standalone centers.
They will start reimbursing these procedures at 75% of the agreed-upon rate. This update is a move to broaden the scope of their modifier 54 policy to encompass services rendered at locations with codes 20 and 49, which represent Urgent Care and independent clinics, respectively. Additionally, Aetna plans to apply similar reductions to payments for surgeries billed by nurse practitioners or physician assistants. For further updates on health plans, you can check out Texas Medical Association’s (TMA) Resource Center.
Cesar Mora Jaramillo, MD, FAAFP, FCUCM and Urgent Caring Editor-in-Chief Tracey Davidoff, MD, FCUCM are seeking contributions to our Q3 and Q4 2024 editions. They are seeking any content relevant to the practice of Urgent Care medicine (interesting case studies, diagnosis or treatment of common or uncommon presentations, clinical successes, best practices, etc.). Please submit your content to the CUCM website. All case reports should follow the CARES format, which can be found here. The next deadline is August 15 for the Q3 edition and November 15 for the Q4 edition. Urgent Caring is a peer reviewed publication and content is CME eligible. Questions? You can contact Laurel Stoimenoff at lstoimenoff@urgentcareassociation.org. We hope to hear from you—the best content comes from Urgent Care clinical leaders and those delivering the care.
Jacob is the most recent CUCM member to achieve the distinction as a Fellow in the College of Urgent Care Medicine. He received both his bachelors and DNP degrees from the University of Utah and is also certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner through AANP. He has been with Sterling Urgent & Family Medicine (UT, WY, and ID) since 2015 where he has served as a Provider Manager and preceptor for NP students around the country. He participates in research studies as the study administrator through the University of Texas while also serving in the Utah Air National Guard Commission as a Captain in 151 MDG. Tracey Davidoff, MD, FCUCM, Chair of the Fellowship Program, expressed her excitement that we have another high caliber clinician who has met or exceeded the criteria and now joins 57 of his colleagues in Urgent Care medicine, while becoming just the 10th APC to earn the distinction. Congratulations Jacob!
You can find more information about becoming a Fellow in the College here. It is open to physicians, NPs, and PAs working in Urgent Care medicine.
Urgent Updates are highlights of guidelines from other groups, reviewed by Urgent Care physicians. These highlights represent the actual intent of these articles and how they relate to the practice of Urgent Care medicine.
Join us for two live sessions as we highlight UCA’s 2024 award recipients and important topics during the 2024 UCA Award Winner Webinar. The series will be available as an on-demand download 48 hours after live webinar.
July 25 – The Triumphs of Advocacy presented by Gerry Cvitanovich, MD
August 6 – Leadership: What It Takes to Make a Difference presented by Chris Nugent, MBA, CRA, RT(R)(CT)
REGISTRATION DETAILS
Your purchase will include a registration link for each webinar – Registration is required to receive the join information and the recording.
This series of 5 webinars is now available on-demand! Each webinar features an AI expert in the Urgent Care industry, sharing their learnings and how you can apply it.
This robust EM coding bundle is jam packed with:
Urgent Care Association
1911 W Wilson Street
Suite A, #437
Batavia, Il 60510
