Statement on CMS’ Final CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Payment Rule

By Soumi Saha, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Premier Inc.

While Premier recognizes the significant challenges in operationalizing the real-time claims processing aspect of the Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) program, abandoning the program altogether as CMS does in the CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule final rule is not the solution and will have a chilling effect on future innovation. This sets a precedent that CMS can reverse course after entities have made significant time and monetary investments to comply with technological advancements, and entities should not be punished for proactively implementing statutory and regulatory requirements in advance of enforcement deadlines.

Furthermore, future proposals from CMS that involve investments in technology may be stifled as entities question whether CMS will truly move forward with implementation or abandon its own policy down the road. Given that adoption of technology, and especially artificial intelligence (AI), will be necessary as healthcare continues to evolve and transform, Premier is deeply disappointed in CMS’ lack of support for technological advancements in healthcare and unwillingness to work with Congress and stakeholders to arrive at a workable solution in the best interest of patient care.