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Medscape
16-05-2025
- Business
- Medscape
Federal Budget Bill Includes Medicare Pay Hike for MDs
The massive budget bill now being debated in Congress includes a proposal for raising Medicare pay for clinicians starting in 2026. That could be good news for physicians who in 2025 saw a nearly 3% effective pay cut in Medicare reimbursement. However, clinicians and advocates remain concerned about potentially large cuts to Medicaid, which covers about 71 million Americans. The modest increase for 2026 Medicare pay is 'welcome, but this is a large and complicated bill,' Anders Gilberg, senior vice president of government affairs for the Medical Group Management Association, told Medscape Medical News . The House and Senate have yet to agree on the budget reconciliation bill. Substantial Medicaid cuts also would likely have 'negative repercussions for physician reimbursement,' Gilberg told Medscape Medical News . 'It remains to be seen how this will all net out in the end, but we appreciate our physician champions in the House working to address Medicare reimbursement shortfalls in an otherwise austere legislative package as it relates to healthcare,' Gilberg said. A 2025 Medicare Pay Cut Congress allowed a 2.83% cut in 2025 to the Medicare conversion factor, which is key to setting Medicare payment rates for services provided by about 1.3 million clinicians, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The Republican-controlled House Committee on Energy and Commerce has proposed raising the Medicare conversion factor equal to 75% of the estimated percentage increase in inflation, as determined by the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). In 2027 and following years, the increase would be 10% of that index. Still, the committee's Democrats called this week for more than just a stopgap Medicare pay hike. 'This is woefully underfunding the need to address inflation,' said committee member Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA), who worked as an emergency physician before joining Congress. 'The Medicare physician fee schedule needs a permanent fix, not this temporary, short-changed fix.' Reconciliation Proves Challenging The Medicare pay proposal is part of House Committee on Energy and Commerce's section of a wide-ranging draft GOP legislative package, known as a reconciliation bill. The committee on Wednesday passed its section of the reconciliation text in a 30-24 vote along party lines. Reconciliation is a special process in Congress that allows lawmakers to bypass some Senate procedural hurdles. It's a rare chance for the majority party to move significant legislation without getting the bipartisan support usually required for Senate passage of bills. Reconciliation requires House and Senate lawmakers to concur on a budget blueprint, which has proven challenging. Continued Interest in Physician Payment There's strong bipartisan support in Congress for revising the Medicare physician fee schedule. A bill introduced in 2023, which would have provided for an update equal to the annual MEI percentage increase, had 126 Democratic and 47 Republican co-sponsors. Mark Miller, PhD, executive vice president of healthcare at the philanthropy Arnold Ventures, said Congress should try to shift Medicare away from its current reliance on the fee-for-service model. Physicians earn revenue through both the volume of services provided and the price, as reflected in the payment rate, said Miller, a former executive director of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. 'Keeping in mind that Medicare physicians are financed by taxpayers and beneficiary premiums, payment rates should be deemed adequate when they assure beneficiaries have access to high-quality care — rather than blindly defaulting to the full Medicare Economic Index,' Miller wrote. 'That said, the long run updates…may be inadequate, and the Congress likely will need to revisit the updates — which will result in higher costs to taxpayers and beneficiaries,' Miller said. He suggested offsetting these new costs with cuts to payments to Medicare Advantage plans for 'upcoding,' or making patients appear more ill than they are. Miller said savings could also be achieved by a shift to site-neutral policies, which would end higher pay for some services depending on the ownership of the facility.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Power of Automation: How DAS Consultants is Revolutionizing New Patient Outreach
NEW YORK CITY, NY / / May 2, 2025 / In today's healthcare environment, providers aren't just competing on quality of care-they're competing on patient experience and operational efficiency. As digital expectations rise and healthcare consumers become more discerning, one fact stands out: practices that fail to engage and nurture new patient leads quickly risk losing them to more responsive competitors. That's why automation in new patient outreach has become not just a luxury but an absolute necessity. Why Patient Outreach Automation Matters More Than Ever Modern patients are digitally savvy. They expect immediate responses, clear communication, and proactive follow-up. Studies show that up to 78% of patients will choose the first provider who responds to their inquiry-whether that's by phone, text, or website chat. If a practice delays even by a few hours, the chances of booking that patient plummet. Beyond response speed, patient no-shows and lead drop-off represent significant revenue leakage. The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) estimates that no-show rates can be as high as 30%, costing practices thousands in lost revenue monthly. Automation offers a game-changing solution to both challenges-capturing, nurturing, and converting leads consistently and efficiently. The Anatomy of a Fully Automated New Patient Outreach System A truly modern outreach system integrates several key features: Instant Lead Capture - Whether a patient fills out a website form, sends a text, or chats online, their inquiry is captured and logged immediately. Automated Follow-Up Sequence - Instead of relying on busy staff to manually call or email every lead, an automated system sends pre-configured text and email sequences to nurture leads. Appointment Confirmation & Reminders - Once a patient books, automated confirmations and reminders drastically reduce no-shows. Two-Way Communication - Patients can text back questions, reschedule, or confirm-all through an intelligent system. CRM Integration - Seamless integration with a practice's existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) or CRM ensures clean, centralized data. There are several respected tools in the healthcare tech landscape that offer components of this functionality: Tebra - Known for robust practice management and patient communication. Luma Health - Specializes in automated appointment reminders and recalls. Klara - Streamlines patient messaging and intake forms. Weave - Combines text, phone, reviews, and payments in one platform. While these solutions provide important building blocks, DAS Consultants takes automation a bold step further. Introducing DAS Consultants' AI Chat: The Ultimate Patient Outreach Engine DAS Consultants has engineered the most advanced AI Chat system on the market, purpose-built for healthcare practices that prioritize high-value patient acquisition and lead nurturing. Here's how it works: 1. Instant AI-Powered Engagement The moment a potential patient visits your website, DAS Consultants' AI Chat engages them conversationally-24/7. Whether they're inquiring about dental implants, cosmetic surgery, or specialty care, the AI identifies their needs and qualifies the lead in real time. 2. Automated Nurture Sequences Once a lead submits their contact info, DAS Consultants' system triggers an automated text and email sequence designed to: Answer common questions Offer appointment booking links Send educational resources about procedures Gently remind the patient to book if they haven't yet These sequences are fully customizable based on specialty-ensuring a personalized, relevant experience that converts. 3. Appointment Confirmation & No-Show Reduction Upon booking, DAS Consultants' system continues working by: Sending appointment confirmations via text/email Issuing friendly reminders at optimized intervals (24 hrs before, 2 hrs before, etc.) Offering one-click rescheduling if conflicts arise Clients have reported up to a 35% reduction in no-shows-a direct boost to revenue. 4. Two-Way Smart Texting Patients can text questions, request info, or even reschedule-all routed through a HIPAA-compliant AI assistant that intelligently responds or alerts staff only when necessary. 5. Analytics and Reporting Detailed dashboards show: Lead-to-patient conversion rates No-show trends Response times and engagement metrics ROI of campaigns This gives practices data-driven insights to continually optimize outreach. The Competitive Edge for Practices Practices leveraging DAS Consultants' automated outreach system consistently report: Increased Patient Acquisition - Up to 35% more bookings from website traffic. Higher Retention - Patients appreciate timely, responsive communication. Reduced Admin Burden - Staff spends less time chasing leads and more time delivering care. Improved Revenue - Fewer no-shows and more high-value patient conversions boost the bottom line. Specialties seeing the biggest benefits include: Cosmetic Surgery & Dermatology Dental Implants & Orthodontics Pain Management & Orthopedics Concierge Medicine & Primary Care Choosing the Right Automation Partner While many companies offer pieces of the patient communication puzzle, DAS Consultants integrates all key functionalities into one streamlined, AI-powered platform designed for maximum conversion impact. When evaluating automation tools, ask yourself: Is it HIPAA-compliant? Does it offer real AI-powered conversations-not just canned responses? Can it automate both lead nurture and appointment workflows? Will it integrate with your EHR or practice management system? If the answer to any of those is no, your automation efforts may fall short. The Future of Patient Outreach is Here In 2025 and beyond, successful practices will differentiate themselves not just by the care they provide-but by how easy, responsive, and reassuring they make the patient journey. Automation isn't replacing human touch; it's amplifying it. By ensuring no lead is forgotten, no patient is left waiting, and every interaction feels timely and relevant, practices can build stronger relationships-and healthier bottom lines. For healthcare providers serious about scaling new patient acquisition, reducing no-shows, and creating a modern, frictionless patient experience, DAS Consultants offers the most complete, powerful solution on the market. Learn more about DAS Consultants by visiting their website at: ContactDAS Consultants347-220-8813 SOURCE: DAS Consultants View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Sign in to access your portfolio
