Advocacy Action Letters
AAHKS leads the effort to influence the law-making process on matters of hip and knee arthroplasty. These letters, sent to elected officials and government agencies, state our position on issues and provide specific direction to legislation. AdvocacySeptember 13
September 9
Comment Letter to CMS Regarding CY25 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule
August 15
August 8
July 24
June 10
June 5
May 29
Letter to CMS Regarding Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Data
May 4
April 18
Summary of CMS FY2025 IPPS Proposed Rule Including TEAM Episode Model
April 16
Sign On Letter to CMS Regarding Prior Authorization in ASCs
January 1
Letter to CMS Regarding OPPS and ASC Final Rule Payment Change Not Included in Proposed Rule
January 17
Sign on Letter to Congress to Avert Medicare Physician Payment Cuts for 2024
January 22
CMS Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes Final Rule Summary
January 24
Sign on Letter to Congressional HELP Committee Leaders Regarding ASC Price Transparency
December 11
Sign on letter in support of the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research
November 16
November 6
October 31
October 4
Sign on letters to Congressional leaders urging them to halt the implementation of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systems add-on code G2211 House Letter | Senate Letter
September 11
Comment Letter to CMS on FY2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule
August 17
CMS Innovation Center Request For Information on Episode-Based Payment Models
June 13
Open Letter coalition sign on with AOSSM regarding team physician expert witness testimony
June 9
Comment Letter to CMS on 2024 Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule
April 19
Comment Letter to FTC on proposed rule “Non-Compete Clause Rulemaking, Matter No. P201200”
April 14
March 15
Comment Letter with AMA to Congress Regarding Legislation for Annual Inflation-Based Payment Update
March 13
February 14
January 23
Coalition Letter to Congress Regarding Reforming the Medicare Payment System
January 5
Federal Trade Commission Summary of Proposed Rule to Eliminate Non-Compete Clauses
December 8, 2022
Letter to Congressional Leadership Urging Extension of 5% Medicare APM Incentive Payment
December 5, 2022
Coalition Sign On Letter to Congressional Leadership Regarding Medicare Physician Payment
November 28, 2022
September 30, 2022
September 22, 2022
Sign On Letter with AMA to Congressional Leadership Regarding Medicare Physician Payment
September 13, 2022
Sign On Letter with AAOS to CMS Regarding CY2023 Medicare OPPS Proposed Rule
September 6, 2022
AAHKS Comment Letter to CMS regarding the CY2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
AAHKS Summary of CMS CY2023 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
August 31, 2022
June 17, 2022
Sign on Letter with AAOS to CMS regarding the 2023 IPPS Proposed Rule
CMS CY2023 IPPS Final Rule Summary
June 1, 2022
April 19, 2022
Sign on letters with the Arthritis Foundation seeking CDC funding for arthritis programming in the Congressional Fiscal Year 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bills: Senate Letter | House Letter
March 24, 2022
February 2, 2022
December 3, 2021
November 29, 2021
Congressional Coalition Letter Seeking Medicare Payment Stability through CY 2022
November 17, 2021
November 4, 2021
Summary of the CMS CY 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule and Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System (OPPS & ASC) final rule
October 14, 2021
September 17, 2021
Sign on Letter with AAOS to CMS regarding the 2022 OPPS and ASC Proposed Rule
September 13, 2021
Comment Letter to CMS regarding the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
Sign on Letter with AAOS to CMS regarding the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
July 28, 2021
June 28, 2021
Sign on Letter with AAOS to CMS regarding the 2022 IPPS Proposed Rule
Summary of CMS CY2022 Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Proposed Rule
April 29, 2021
Summary of CJR Final Rule Extending Model for 3 Performance Years
April 27, 2021
Sign on letter to Congress to Fund “Health Care Infrastruture” through 2021
April 21, 2021
Sign on letter to Congress for funding of CDC Arthritis Program
March 10, 2021
January 4, 2021
November 24, 2020
November 16, 2020
October 5, 2020
AAHKS Comment Letter to CMS regarding the CY2021 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
- AAOS Sign on Letter to CMS regarding the CY2021 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
- AAOS Sign on Letter to CMS regarding the CY2021 OPPS and ASC Proposed Rule
September 22, 2020
August 5, 2020
July 29, 2020
Sign on Letter to Congressional Leaders regarding surprise medical billing legislation
July 22, 2020
July 10, 2020
AAOS Sign-on letter regarding IPPS proposed rule
July 6, 2020
AAOS Sign on Letter to UnitedHealthcare regarding new commercial medical policy imaging requirements
July 1, 2020
June 24, 2020
June 22, 2020
Congressional Letter to CMS regarding Total Joint Arthroplasty Reimbursement Levels for 2021
June 9, 2020
May 27, 2020
CMS Medicare IPPS Proposed Rule Summary
CMS COVID-19 Second Interim Final Rule Summary
April 15, 2020
April 10, 2020
March 30, 2020
March 26, 2020
March 25, 2020
March 20, 2020
December 31, 2019
November 20, 2019
October 29, 2019
October 16, 2019
Senate Surprise Billing Sign On Letter with AMA
House of Representatives Surprise Billing Sign On Letter with AMA
September 27, 2019 Comment Letter to CMS
Summary of the OPPS and ASC Final Rule
September 27, 2019 Comment Letter to CMS
September 19, 2019 Letter to CMS
Sign on Letter to CMS Regarding Automation of Prior Authorization
September 9, 2019 Letter to Congress
August 15, 2019 Comment Letter to CMS
August 12, 2019 CMS Request For Information
July 16, 2019 Letter to House Committee on Energy and Commerce
June 24, 2019 Comment Letter to CMS
May 21, 2019 Letter to CMS Administrator
April 10, 2019 Co-sponser Letter to Congress
April 1, 2019 Comment Letter to CMS
February 7, 2019 Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means
January 28, 2019 Comment Letter to CMS
January 15, 2019 Comment Letter to CMS
CMMI Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) Advanced Addendum Sign on with AAOS
January 4, 2019 Comment Letter to CMS
Medicare Program: CY 2019 Proposed Changes to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems
September 10, 2019 Comment Letters to CMS
Medicare Program: Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for FY 2019; Quality Payment Program; and Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Program
August 27, 2018 Comment Letter to CMS
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for CY 2019 – Excessive E/M Documentation – Sign on with the American Medical Association
August 15, 2018 Comment Letter to House of Representatives Health Care Innovation Caucus
- Health Care Innovation Caucus Request For Information
- AAHKS Response to Health Care Innovation Caucus RFI
June 25, 2018 Comment Letter to CMS
- CMS Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) FY2019 Proposed Rule – AAHKS comment letter
- AAOS-AAHKS Sign on letter
May 10, 2018 Letter to National Council of State Boards of Nursing
National Council of State Boards of Nursing Provisions of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact that alter state laws related to APRN scope of practice
March 21, 2018 Comment Letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma
Removal of Total Knee Arthroplasty From the Medicare Inpatient Only List
February 21, 2018 Comment Letter to CMS
Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) Advanced Request for Application Comment Sign on with AAOS
Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) New Direction Request for Information
November 20, 2017 Comment Letter to CMS and Acumen, LLC
MACRA Episode-Based Cost Measures Field Testing, Total Knee Arthroplasty Measure – AAHKS and The Knee Society Sign On
October 16, 2017 Comment Letters to CMS
CMS-5524-P: Medicare Program; Cancellation of Advancing Care Coordination Through Episode Payment and Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Models; Changes to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Payment Model
- AAHKS Comment Letter
- AAOS-AAHKS Sign on Letter
- Summary of Final Rule
- CJR Hospital List with Status under December 2017 Final Rule
September 11, 2017 Comment Letter to CMS
- CY 2018 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems Proposed Rule
- Final Rule Summary
September 11, 2017 Comment Letter to CMS
CY 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
August 25, 2017 Submission to the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health
Medicare Red Tape Relief Project Submissions
August 21, 2017 Comment Letter to CMS
- Medicare Program; CY 2018 Updates to the Quality Payment Program (CMS-5522-P)
- QPP Final Rule Summary
June 13, 2017 Comment Letter to CMS
- Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment
- System and Proposed Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2018 Rates
June 7, 2017 Endorsement Letter
Letter supporting the introduction of “Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2017″ in Congress – Sign-on with AAOS
March 21, 2017 Comment Letter to CMS
Letter requesting easing of penalties for physicians in the area of PQRS, MU and Value based Payment Modifier, in MIPS reporting under MACRA – Sign-on with AMA
February 27, 2017 Letter to CMS and ONC
Letter requesting deferment from implementing 2015 Edition certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT) – Sign-on with AMA
February 1, 2017 Letter of Support to the Senate Finance Committee
AAHKS Letter of Support for the nomination of Dr. Tom Price as HHS Secretary
January 6, 2017
CMS Medicare Quality Payment Program Patient Relationship Categories and Codes Comment Letter
CMS–5519–P: Advancing Care Coordination through Episode Payment Models (EPMs); Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Model; and Changes to the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model (CJR)
September 6, 2016 Comment Letter to CMS
CY 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
September 6, 2016 Comment Letter to CMS
CY 2017 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems Proposed Rule
August 24, 2016 Comment Letters to AHRQ
Draft manuscript entitled “Comparative Effective Review: Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Major Orthopaedic Surgery: Systematic Review Update”
August 23, 2016 Letter to CMS
Recommending CMS restore the Refinement Panel to serve as the relative value appeals process – Sign-on with AMA
August 11, 2016 Endorsement Letter to Speaker Ryan
Support of 21st Century Cures Bill – Sign-on with AMA
July 22, 2016 Comment Letter to David J. Shulkin, MD, Under Secretary for Health, Department of Veterans Affairs
RIN 2900–AP44-Advanced Practice Registered Nurses; Proposed Rule – Sign-on with AMA
July 11, 2016 Comment Letter to Representatives Ellmers and DeGette
H.R. 1221, the Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians (HELLPP) Act – Sign-on with AAOS
June 29, 2016 Endorsement Letter to Senator Barrasso
S. 2978, the Protect Continuing Physician Education and Patient Care Act – Sign-on with AMA
June 27, 2016 Comment Letters to CMS
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive Under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Criteria for Physician-Focused Payment Models; Proposed Rule (CMS-5517-P)
June 17, 2016 Comment Letter to CMS
FY 2017 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Proposed Rule
June 7, 2016 Endorsement Letter to Senators Blunt and Reed; Congressmen Collins and Courtney
H.R. 1859/S. 2782, the Ensuring Children’s Access to Specialty Care Act – Sign-on
June 3, 2016 Comment Letter to ONC
Request for Information regarding Assessing Interoperability for MACRA – sign-on with AAOS
May 20, 2016 Open Letter to NIH
Review and Funding of Clinically Impactful Research Grants – sign-on with AAOS
March 29, 2016 Comment Letter to CMS
Medicare Program: Expanding Uses of Medicare Data by Qualified Entities
March 28, 2016 Comment Letter to the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network (LAN)
Accelerating and Aligning Clinical Episode Payment Models: Elective Joint Replacement draft white paper
March 1, 2016 Comment Letter to CMS
Quality Measure Development Plan: Supporting the Transition to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs)
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System and Alternative Payment Models under the new Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA)
November 2, 2015 Letter to U.S. Senate
Stage 3 of the Meaningful Use Program
September 21, 2015 Letter to CMS from Congressman Tom Price, MD
Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Payment Model
September 8, 2015 Comment letter to CMS
Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Payment Model
- AAHKS Comments
- Attachment: Joint comments from orthopaedic organizations following the AAHKS Patient Reported Outcomes Summit
August 7, 2015 Comment letter to National Government Services, Inc.
Draft LCD DL36039 — Total Joint Arthroplasty (Jurisdiction 6 and Jurisdiction K)
June 17, 2015 Joint letter to House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Support and comments on the 21st Century Cures initiative
June 15, 2015 Letter to US Representative Diane Black
Support for H.R. 2247 “Increasing Clarity for Doctors by Transitioning Effectively Now Act” (ICD-TEN Act)
June 15, 2015 Comment letter to CMS
Medicare Program: Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule for FY 2016 (CMS-1632-P)
May 29, 2015 Comment letter to CMS
CMS-3310-P Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Electronic Health Record Incentive Program – Stage 3
May 6, 2015 Letter to Congress
Repeal of IPAB
April 27, 2015 – Comment letter to CMS Deputy Administrator for Innovation & Quality
AAMC recommendation to create a new DRG for hip fractures.
March 30, 2015 – Comment letter to CMS
The development of a measure for risk adjusted improvement in functional status after total hip and knee replacement.
March 16, 2015 – Multi-Specialty Letter to House Speaker, John A. Boehner
Repeal of failed SGR before the expiration of the current payment patch.
March 4, 2015 – Comment letter to CMS/HHS
ICD-10 requirement starting October 1, 2015
Development of Measures of Payment for Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) and/or Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA)
November 6, 2014 – Comment letter to Novitas Solutions, Inc.
Draft LCD – Lower Extremity Major Joint Replacement (Hip and Knee), DL35594 (Jurisdictions H & L)
October 17, 2014 – Comment letter to Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)
Validating relative value units (RVU) in the Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS)
August 28, 2014 – Comment letter to CMS
Medicare Payment Policies under the Proposed Physician Fee Schedule for CY 2015 [CMS-1612-P]
June 27, 2014 – Comment letter to CMS
Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Proposed Rule for FY2015 (CMS-1607-P)
January 9, 2014 – Comment letter to CMS
CMS 1600-FC, Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for CY 2014: Interim Hip and Knee Replacement RVUs
SGR Repeal and Reform Proposal – Second Draft
March 29, 2013 – Comment letter to CMS
Request for Information on the Use of CQMs Reported Under the PQRS, the EHR Incentive Program, and Other Reporting Programs (CMS-3276-NC)
