Eyeworld

24 | EYEWORLD | DECEMBER 2022 by Angela Nichols, ASCRS Head of Clinical Education and Program Strategy, and Carrie Braden, ASCRS Director of Continuing Medical Education programs, five Satellite CME Programs, and 200+ companies in the Exhibit Hall. Keynote speakers at the General Sessions included Chris Wallace, an anchor for CNN, and Will Flanary, MD, an ophthalmologist who is popularly known by his comedic alter ego, Dr. Glaucomflecken, on his social media platforms. Perhaps one of the most significant addi- tions to the 2022 ASCRS Annual Meeting was the creation of a whole day of programming specifically for the young eye surgeon (YES) au- dience. This day, spearheaded by the YES Clin- ical Committee and Chair Zaina Al-Mohtaseb, MD, included an interactive kickoff event, the YES Networking Luncheon, and two dedicated symposia. In addition, there were other specific opportunities for YES members, such as YES skills transfer labs, Mentor Meetups, and YES Connect Industry Dinners. Satellite CME Programs were expanded at the 2022 ASCRS Annual Meeting. There were five ASCRS Satellite CME Programs offered as a R eflecting on what ASCRS has created for its members over the last year, 2022 is the first year that has seen a significant return to normal (or a "new normal") since the COVID-19 pandem- ic began in 2020. This year, ASCRS hosted a robust, in-per- son Annual Meeting, expanding its offerings and opportunities at this premier event geared toward anterior segment surgeons. The Society developed new on-demand programming and functionality to benefit members, it hosted the first ASCRS Summer Meeting, and much more. ASCRS Annual Meeting At the ASCRS Annual Meeting, which took place in April in Washington, D.C., through the lead- ership of its Clinical Committees and Program Chair Edward Holland, MD, ASCRS provided attendees access to four General Sessions, 22 symposia, 91 courses, 30 skills transfer labs, 905+ papers, 170 films, three Subspecialty Day ASCRS NEWS ASCRS Education: a year in review and what's next and predictability in the Medicare physician payment system going forward. In addition to supporting H.R. 8800, ASCRS is urging Con- gress to address the 4% pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) cut due to a previously unpaid for sequestration bill in Congress that addressed COVID-19. Global surgical payments ASCRS maintains strong opposition to CMS' policy that has not equitably applied the 2021 increased values of standalone evaluation and management (E/M) services to the postopera- tive E/M visits in 10- and 90-day global surgical codes for calendar year 2023. CMS implement- ed the AMA RVS Update Committee (RUC)-rec- ommended increases to standalone E/M services for calendar year 2021 and other select bundled services and codes but is not following the RUC's recommendation to extend those increas- es to global surgical postoperative services. ASCRS maintains that by not applying these increases, CMS is distorting the relativity of the MPFS and creating inequities among physicians. ASCRS maintains that at a minimum, for all 10- and 90-day global surgical codes that have been recently revalued and confirmed by CMS, such as the cataract surgical codes, the agency should adjust the E/M payment immediately to reflect the updated payment increases applied to the standalone E/M codes that were imple- mented on January 1, 2021. At the behest of ASCRS, AAO, and other surgical specialty colleagues, Representative Ami Bera, MD (D-CA), and Representative Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), sent a letter to CMS in September expressing their concern with the agency's policy that does not appropriately value E/M office visits within the global surgery code and urging CMS to adjust the global codes in the calendar year 2023 MPFS final rule. In their letter, they noted the calendar year 2021 rule marked the first time ever CMS revalued the office/outpatient E/M codes without also updating the global surgical code values. For more information about these activities or ASCRS' other legislative and regulatory ad- vocacy efforts, contact the ASCRS Government Relations team. continued from page 23

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