Clinical Decision Support

• The law does not mandate ordering providers strictly adhere to the AUC, just consult AUC. There is no “hard stop” to the ordering process.
• Emergency department exams are included in this rule. Inpatient exams are also exempted. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may make limited exceptions for providers with limited internet connectivity including:
• Insufficient Internet Access (e.g. rural areas);
• EHR or CDSM vendor issues (e.g. technical problems, installation or upgrades temporarily impede access to CDSMs, vendors cease operations or CMS de-qualifies a CDSM); or
• Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (e.g. man-made or natural disasters; area infrastructure issues)

• To receive Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Improvement Activity Points and Promoting Interoperability Bonus (if not exempt or choosing to report that category), practices must implement and attest to using a qCDSM.

• Early implementation will help ensure a positive financial impact through MIPS Performance Categories and set the stage for a compliant PAMA implementation.

• Will there will be another delay? A 12-month AUC consultation educational and operations testing period officially began Jan. 1, 2020. During the period, professionals are encouraged to participate in the program - allowing them to avoid claims denials and giving CMS an opportunity to make any needed claims processing adjustments before payment are impacted.
  
  Barring any changes, Jan. 1, 2021 will be the first date by which rendering professionals’ technical and professional component reimbursement could be denied without a documented consult. CMS expects to use either the CY 2022 or CY 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rulemaking cycles to define the specifics of the outlier policy. Data amassed during the 12-month educational and operations testing period will not be measured for outlier calculation. 
• Imaging facilities/practices/departments will not have to change their reporting lexicon or approach. Care Select™ Imaging - which is the qCDSM containing the ACR Appropriateness Criteria diagnostic imaging topics - and likely other CDSM vendors as well - can work with imaging providers to incorporate current lexicon into the system workflow.
• CDS can be done even if referring and rendering providers do not share a common EHR/EMR system. Care Select™ Imaging – which contains the ACR Select® module, which contains the ACR Appropriateness Criteria diagnostic imaging topics - and perhaps other CDSM vendors can serve this function, documenting AUC consultation and providing necessary “identifier” code to include in Medicare imaging claims.
• Imaging providers will not be competitively disadvantaged by this federal requirement:
• No rendering provider can receive Medicare payment for an ADIS if the referring provider does not attach a HCPCS/G-codes and modifiers to the referral
• All radiology providers may refuse Medicare referrals without this documentation, with few exceptions as outlined above
• Imaging providers cannot perform AUC administrative duties for referrers (as with prior authorization)
• Ordering providers cannot shift the AUC requirement to radiologists
• There is no facility “exempt” from PAMA requirements (other than those exceptions outlined above) to which providers can shift this Medicare imaging
• These factors should quickly result in integration of CDS in referring practices
• The minimal cost to imaging providers to implement AUC/CDS is far less than losses due to Medicare (and subsequent private payer) reimbursement cuts – and/or radiology benefits management (RBM) denials to follow if AUC/CDS program fails.
• CDS does not reduce necessary revenue. It helps facilities/departments gain market share by strengthening their ability to accommodate new patients and demonstrates quality to referring providers.
• This change is not sudden. CMS granted physicians six years to prepare for implementation (April 1, 2014, when PAMA became law – Jan 1, 2020 start date) and is implementing AUC/CDS via the rulemaking process, asking for provider input at every point.
• CDS can be – and is being – efficiently put in place nationwide. AUC-CDSMs have successfully adopted EHR integration in over 500 health systems and 3,000 acute care facilities in all 50 states.
• CDS can ultimately reduce administrative burden on imaging providers. It provides data to help demonstrate utilization management and negotiate an end to preauthorization.
• CDS helps providers engage patients in their care. Providers can use CDS to show them why a certain exam may be (un)necessary. This leads to better shared decision making.
• All AUC in a given qCDSM need not be consulted. No imaging provider would be penalized in any way for choosing a qCDSM that contains more AUC than another.
• Providers need only consult the AUC that applies to the individual advanced imaging exam to be ordered.
• In many cases, particularly when the qCDSM does not contain AUC, consultation can be automatic.
• A qCDSM is required to have reasonable coverage of Priority Clinical Areas (PCA). There is no defined maximum.
• Having access to comprehensive AUC enables organizations to manage utilization across all services, which can help eliminate the overhead of prior authorization across all payers.
• As the PCA will expand, comprehensive coverage can help keep practices ahead of future rulemaking. 

ACR Statements

• MPFS Final Rule Confirms AUC/CDS Program Start in 2020 (November 2018)
• CMS Moves Forward with AUC/CDS Jan. 1, 2020 Deadline (July 2018)
• ACR Detailed Analysis of CY 2019 MPFS Proposed Rule (July 2018)
• Medicare Releases Final Rule for the Second Year of the Quality Payment Program (Jan. 2018)
• ACR Summary of Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule for CY 2018 on Appropriate Use Criteria for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Services (November 2017)
• ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Fulfill PAMA AUC Requirements (June 2016)
• ACR/RBMA Clinical Decision Support Best Practices (October 2012)

CDS Resources

• NEW — AUC Testing Period Claims Processing Requirements Guidance for Providers 
• NEW — AUC Change Request Processing Requirements Guidance for MACs
• Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Fact Sheet
• Radiology Support, Communication and Alignment Network (R-SCAN™)
• AUC Navigator — Navigate to qualified provider led entity sites and Appropriate Use Criteria guidance

Webinars on Demand

NEW - Feb. 20 ACR/RBMA Webinar: "Implementing Clinical Decision Support in Your Practice"

• Watch Webinar on Demand
• See Webinar Q+A
• View Webinar Slide Deck
     

Previous Webinars

• Watch: "PAMA AUC Deadline is Firm—Prepare Now for 2020"
• Watch: "Be PAMA AUC Ready"

• Imaging 3.0 CDS case studies - Gain insights from other practices and departments that have successfully implemented clinical decision support systems.
• Clinical Decision Support for Appropriate Imaging – How Did We Get Here?
• Background and Frequently Asked Questions about Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014

• Clinical Decision Support for Appropriate Imaging (set of 4, total 70 minutes)
• Be PAMA AUC Ready: Act Now
• Explaining Imaging Appropriateness to Patients without Clinical Decision Support
• Explaining Imaging Appropriateness to Patients with Clinical Decision Support