The Provider Roundtable issues call for new members
The Provider Roundtable (PRT) was established in 2003 to give CMS the benefit of providers' input and guidance on critical healthcare delivery issues.
For more than 13 years, the PRT has provided well-supported, data-driven comments to federal regulators regarding the operational impacts of both Proposed Rules and established regulations on various payments systems, including OPPS, IPPS, the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, and the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS).
The PRT regularly provides written comments and oral testimony to CMS, Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), and the Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP, formerly APC) Advisory Panel. These entities have frequently integrated the PRT's comments and requests into their final rulemaking and transmittals/claims processing instructions.
Visit www.nimitt.com/PRT.html for more details about the PRT.
2016 call for new PRT members
The PRT has issued a call for new members who have a strong interest in improving Medicare reimbursement under various payment systems.
If you have ideas about how CMS can provide fair and appropriate reimbursement to hospitals without increasing administrative burden, the PRT invites you to consider becoming a part of this dynamic and interactive group.
Membership in the PRT provides an opportunity to have your voice heard by decision-makers on the federal level. In addition to affecting national policy decisions, PRT members exchange ideas, reflect on coding and billing questions and challenges, and share innovative strategies?which improves their own organizations' daily operations and revenue integrity processes.
Application requirements and process
Candidates must work for a healthcare provider, be moderate- to expert-level professionals in their given discipline, and possess a strong knowledge of Medicare's reimbursement systems.
For example, past and present PRT members have included representatives from a wide variety of hospital disciplines, including but not limited to:
- Business office
- Clinical and ancillary departments
- Compliance
- Cost accounting
- Cost reporting
- Decision support
- Finance
- Health information systems
- HIM
- Patient financial services
- Physician practices
- Quality
- Revenue cycle
- Revenue integrity
All PRT members must commit to maintain their active standing in the group through:
- Attending at least one PRT meeting annually; PRT meetings are held in conjunction with the HOP Panel Meeting (this is typically in February/March and August/September)
- Participating in the PRT's monthly conference calls
- Engaging in the preparation of substantive comments for CMS and other regulatory entities
PRT members must demonstrate that they have their employer's financial support to cover their transportation and accommodation costs.
Newly accepted PRT members must commit to attending the summer 2016 meeting in the Washington, D.C., area in August or September 2016 to become acquainted with the group, and to help prepare comments on the 2017 OPPS and MPFS proposed rules as well as to attend the HOP Advisory Panel meeting.
If you are interested in being considered for membership, send an email to roundtable@nimitt.com to request the application form. Completed applications must be received by May 31.
The PRT Membership Committee will interview selected applicants and choose new members. All successful candidates will be notified by mid-July.