The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021
May 14, 2021 The Resident Physician Shortage Act of 2021 was reintroduced by three U.S. Reps. – Terri Sewell (D-AK), John Katko (R-NY), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), and Rodney Davis (R-IL). This bill will create an additional 14,000 residency positions funded by Medicare. Their goal is to add 2,000 residency positions each year between 2023 to 2029. The need for doctors has been exacerbated...Read More
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GME Alert: Congress Pass COVID-19 Emergency Relief Package
December 23, 2020 On December 21, 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, a $900 billion spending package designed to stabilize the US economy and fund programs to fight COVID-19. This bill, expected to take effect by mid-January if signed by President Trump, contains several important changes related to graduate medical education (GME). Below is a summary of...Read More
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COVID-19 Update: Hospitals Receive Extension to Medicare GME Affiliation Agreements
May 21, 2020 On Thursday, May 21, 2020, CMS announced yet another extension due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). CMS has provided flexibility to teaching hospitals and has stated that teaching hospitals have until October 1, 2020 to submit new or amended Medicare GME affiliation agreements, instead of the July 1, 2020 deadline. The official announcement can be found...Read More
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COVID-19 Update: CMS Provides Additional Flexibility During Pandemic
May 11, 2020 On April 30, 2020, The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new set of waivers aimed at relieving financial pressure on Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs to address the needs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following is a summary of waivers directly related to GME Programs: Temporary Bed Increase Will Not Impact IME Payments For the...Read More
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Legislation to Increase GME Slots Reintroduced by New Jersey Representatives
April 20, 2020 In an April 7th letter to Congress, U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-9) have requested an increase in Graduate Medical Education (GME) slots for hospitals to be included in the next COVID-19 legislative package. “This would help alleviate the staffing burden that has plagued so many hospitals across the country, and...Read More
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Electives – A Common Adjustment in Medicare Audits
November 5, 2019 GME Solutions has over 20 years of experience working with Medicare auditors (i.e. Medicare Administrative Contractors, or MACs). The most common disallowances made by MACs concerning Graduate Medical Education (GME) payments result from resident elective rotations. What are Elective Rotations? Elective rotations provide an opportunity for residents to tailor...Read More
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The Life of a Medicare Cost Report
September 24, 2019 Medicare payments to hospitals for services performed are reported in the hospitals annual cost report. This cost report accounts for all expenses the hospital had for the previous fiscal year, including costs for Graduate Medical Education. This article will explain the statutory deadlines and steps hospitals take to receive proper Medicare payments. Cost...Read More
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FY 2020 IPPS Final Rule
August 14, 2019 CMS has made available its display version of the FY 2020 IPPS Final Rule, which is scheduled to be published on August 16, 2019. As mentioned in our May newsletter, there was a Graduate Medical Education issue included in the IPPS proposed rule. After considering comments from the public, CMS has finalized its rule. Below is a summary of the GME related issues in...Read More
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Balanced Budget Act of 1997: Rolling Average Explained
June 18, 2019 The Balanced Budget Act of 1997, also known as the 1996 FTE Cap or Base Year FTE Cap, limited the number of residents a teaching hospital can receive for Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) reimbursements. This limit was not the only limit implemented with the passing of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997; hospitals were also faced with a requirement to average...Read More
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Hope for Hospitals that Inadvertently Triggered GME Caps: Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act
April 16, 2019 Two US Members of the House of Representatives from Wisconsin reintroduced a bipartisan bill titled Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospital Act on February 26, 2019 (H.R. 1358). The bill introduced by Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI) provides relief for Community hospitals that inadvertently established low permanent full-time...Read More
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