AOA Urges CMS To Pay for Advance Care Planning

The American Osteopathic Association sent a letter, Dec. 30, urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to cover and pay separately for Advance Care Planning (CPT codes 99497 and 99498).

The AOA letter  called on CMS to remove any regulatory and payment barriers that prevent patients from receiving these services. Advance care planning and end of life decisions are a vital part of health care, and osteopathic physicians should be encouraged to engage patients and their families in discussing and documenting these plans; CMS said it will consider paying for these services in the future.

The  AOA also expressed concern that CMS undervalues the work involved in providing chronic care management (CCM) services.  CMS was asked to reconsider its decisions made in the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule concerning CCM (CPT code 99490).

CMS reduced the clinical labor time for CCM from 60 minutes to 20 minutes. The AOA believes the severity of a patient’s chronic conditions will determine the amount of staff time necessary for establishing a patient’s care plan.