CARRIE KOVAR

Requested that Congress act to avert the scheduled payment cut under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

Support for adjusting National Correct Coding Initiative edits to allow more units of service for CPT 75565 (blood flow measurement (heart).

Support for prior authorization reforms to increase patient care and reduce physician burden. Support for fair Medicare payment and tying it to an inflationary update.

Sought billing guidance and clarification for direct access codes that CMS finalized Nov 2022

Met with CMS to discuss the classification of audiologists as practitioners under Medicare, direct access to audiologic services, and to request clarifications on implementing provisions of the final 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule regarding billing for services provided by direct access.

Support for congressional intervention to prevent Medicare physician payment cuts resulting from the final 2023 rule on the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Support for funding for the National Institutes of Health.

CMS meeting to discuss the classification of audiologists as practitioners under Medicare, direct access and proposed payment policy

Support for congressional intervention to prevent Medicare physician payment cuts.

Support for S. 1731, Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2021 - CMS meeting to discuss the classification of audiologists as practitioners under Medicare.

Support for a $49 billion appropriation for the National Institutes of Health, in the FY 2023 draft Labor/Health and Human Services/Education appropriations bill.

Support for S. 1731, Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2021. CMS meeting to discuss the future of audiology participation in the Quality Payment Program. Support for reauthorization of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act (H.R. 5661); urge Senate to enhance EHDI legislation that increases authorized funding for both the CDC and HRSA. Support for Ally's Act (H.R. 477/S.41), to mandate private insurance coverage of auditory implant devices (cochlear implants and bone anchored hearing aids) and external sound processors. Support for the Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act (H.R. 3320/S. 1679).

Support for S. 610, The Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act, to mitigate payment reductions to physicians under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

Support for S. 1731, Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2021 Outreach / meeting request to CMS to discuss the future of audiology participation in the Quality Payment Program. Support for S. 610, the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act, to mitigate payment reductions to clinicians under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

Support for H.R. 1313, legislation to end food deserts in the United States by establishing tax credits and grants to encourage investment and healthy nutrition options in underserved communities.

clarification of supervision requirements for audiology students

Support for increased National Institutes of Health appropriations during the upcoming consideration of appropriations for the NIH; Support for H.R. 315 / S. 748; legislation to extend the suspension of Medicare budget sequestration cuts for the duration of the Covid 19 Public Health Emergency

Support for H.R. 8702,Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020, to provide a two year halt to provider payment cuts under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule; Support for audiologists to be able to bill certain G codes (functional reporting codes) under Medicare.

Support for H.R. 8702, the Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020," to provide a reprieve from physician payment cuts for two years.

Support for H.R. 4056, the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act, to allow Medicare beneficiaries to receive direct access to diagnostic and therapeutic services of audiologists. Request to CMS to encourage use of regulatory flexibility to recognize audiologists as eligible providers of telehealth services.

Support for supplemental appropriations for the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in particular, to address COVID related needs.

Request for supplemental appropriations for National Institutes of Health and specifically the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to address COVID

Support for H.R. 4056, the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act, to allow Medicare beneficiaries to receive direct access to diagnostic and therapeutic services of audiologists. Support for revision of evaluation and management code structure changes to minimize impact of code changes on providers, like audiologists, who cannot bill evaluation and management codes. Support for Relative Value Update Committee relative value unit (RVUs) recommendations for audiology codes including aural rehabilitation and computerized dynamic posturography.

Support for H.R. 4056, the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act, to allow Medicare beneficiaries to receive direct access to diagnostic and therapeutic services of audiologists.

Input to CMS regarding inappropriate proposed reimbursement cuts for computerized dynamic posturography codes; dialogue with CMS to urge the Agency to allow audiologists to bill for online digital evaluation services

Support for Access to Frontline Care Act (loan forgiveness for audiology students who provide care in certain shortage areas - not reintroduced as of visit); Support for Medicare Telehealth Parity Act (would allow audiologists to be telehealth providers under Medicare - not reintroduced as of visit) Support for NIH, CDC and HRSA appropriations, in specific NIDCD (National Institute on Deafness and Communications Disorders (NIDCD), support for funding the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act.

Support for increased NIH appropriations (draft FY 2020 Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill - not numbered as of this filing).

Support for Access to Frontline Care Act (loan forgiveness for audiology students who provide care in certain shortage areas - yet to be reintroduced); Support for Medicare Telehealth Parity Act (would allow audiologists to be telehealth providers under Medicare - yet to be reintroduced)

Seeking modifications to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) because of adverse outcomes for heart failure patients Support for NIH appropriations increase in FY 2020 draft Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill (no bill # as of this filing)

Communication with CMS to raise concerns about CMS process for identifying potentially misvalued codes under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

Communication with CMS to oppose cuts in reimbursement for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation therapy.

Concerns about cardiology specific impact under CMS's proposed revision of evaluation and management services structure and documentation revisions

Analysis of Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) and its likely negative impact on patients with heart failure. Communicated position statement to CMS.

Support for National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute appropriations (S. 3158; house draft)

Communication with CMS regarding the potential effects to audiology should the Audiology Patient Choice Act (S. 2575 and H.R. 2276) be enacted into law.

Support for National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute funding through annual appropriations cycle, S. 3158, Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill; House draft

Development of regulation to establish an Over the Counter category of hearing aids; concerns about consumer understanding and education; safety concerns Communication to FDA regarding stakeholders FDA might consider seeking input from during regulation development

Reimbursement for cardiovascular magnetic resonance under the hospital outpatient prospective payment system

Proposed Coverage policy for cardiovascular computed tomography to CMS Medicare Administrative Contractor (Noridian)

fair and adequate Medicare physician payment for echocardiography services, placement of echocardiography codes in the hospital outpatient prospective payment system ambulatory payment classification groups, site of service payment differentials for echocardiography services

Development of regulation to establish an Over the Counter category of hearing aids; concerns about consumer understanding and education; safety concerns

Support for at least a $2 billion increase for National Institutes of Health Appropriations for FY 2018 Opposition to the Senate Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 specific concerns about Medicaid cuts and lack of protections for those with pre-existing conditions Opposition to Graham, Cassidy amendment to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act CMS implementation of the specialty designation code for advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologists Support for health care workers with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status to continue with employment, education, training and research, with a permanent fix such as the Dream Act of 2017 (S.1615 / HR. 3440)

Support for at least a $2 billion increase for National Institutes of Health Appropriations for FY 2018

Support for at least a $2 billion increase for National Institutes of Health Appropriations for FY 2018 Opposition to the Senate Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 specific concerns about Medicaid cuts and lack of protections for those with pre-existing conditions Opposition to Graham, Cassidy amendment to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act CMS implementation of the specialty designation code for advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologists

Payment for cardiovascular magnetic resonance services under the hospital outpatient prospective payment system

Support for funding increase for the National Institutes of Health FY 2017 and FY 2018 appropriations

Support for at least a $2 billion increase for National Institutes of Health Appropriations for FY 2018 Opposition to American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628) to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Opposition to the Senate Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 specific concerns about Medicaid cuts and lack of protections for those with pre-existing conditions Support for continued Medicare coverage of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy

Support for at least a $2 billion increase for National Institutes of Health Appropriations for FY 2018 Opposition to American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628) to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Contact with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to urge prompt roll out of the specialty designation code for advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologists.

S.670 and H.R. 1652, Over the Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act - provided input to this legislation which would allow the sale of OTC hearing aids to consumers with mild to moderate hearing loss. S. 48, Hearing Aid Tax Credit, support for tax credit for hearing aids once every five years. H.R. 1539 and S. 652, support for legislation to reauthorize the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act to ensure early intervention services are received by children.

Hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) reimbursement for cardiovascular magnetic resonance services and appropriate placement of services in Ambulatory Payment Classification groups.

Support for adding a provider taxonomy code for advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologists to the Medicare provider enrollment database. Episode of care development - input on clinical episodes and CMS process for receiving input on episodes of care.

Hospital outpatient prospective payment system cuts to reimbursement for CPT Codes 75557 and 75561, cardiac magnetic resonance codes.

H.R. 3471, Fit to Serve legislation to provide quality hearing care to veterans; Fy 2017 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill - increased funding for the National Institutes of Health

S. 564, Veterans Hearing Aid Access and Assistance Act - work to amend language to reflect role of audiologists in the provision of quality hearing care.

Increased funding for the National Institutes of Health; no cuts for GME funding. Support for adding a provider taxonomy code for advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologists to the Medicare provider enrollment database.

Hospital outpatient prospective payment system cuts to reimbursement for CPT Codes 75557 and 75561, cardiac magnetic resonance codes.

Apprenticeship standards for hearing aid specialists; H.R. 353, Fit to Serve legislation re hearing health care for veterans

Increased funding for the National Institutes of Health; no cuts for GME funding

Physician Quality Reporting System appeals and clarification of quality measures applicable to audiology

Increased funding for the National Institutes of Health; no cuts for GME funding; Medicare coverage of CardioMEMS heart failure monitoring system

Movement of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 75563 (cardiac MRI with stress imaging and dye)into proposed new Ambulatory payment classification (APC) group 5592, for purposes of reimbursement under the hospital outpatient prospective payment system.

Department of Labor Apprenticeship document for hearing aid specialists: Certification of National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards Developed by the International Hearing Society for the Occupation of Hearing Aid Specialist. Certification No. C-2105-03. Worked to inform the Department of Labor of violations of scope of practice for hearing aid specialists and to recommend rescission of inappropriate provisions contained in the apprenticeship document.

Quality measure applicability and appeals under the Physician Quality Reporting System; role of audiology in patient care

preparation for reintroduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act; access to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and volume requirements for hospitals as outlined under the CMS national coverage determination for TAVR.

preparation for reintroduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act; access to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and volume requirements for hospitals as outlined under the CMS national coverage determination for TAVR.

Movement of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 75563 (cardiac MRI with stress imaging and dye)into proposed new Ambulatory payment classification (APC) group 5592, for purposes of reimbursement under the hospital outpatient prospective payment system.

Support for increased utilization of cardiac rehabilitation under Medicare. Support for advance care planning services to be paid for under the hospital outpatient prospective payment system. Support for more fair and adequate reimbursement for the chronic care management benefit. Support for reimbursement for care coordination including patient training and self management, complex care coordination services, and reimbursement under telehealth for prolonged services in the inpatient or observation setting.

preparation for reintroduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act; access to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and volume requirements for hospitals as outlined under the CMS national coverage determination for TAVR.

Movement of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 75563 (cardiac MRI with stress imaging and dye)into proposed new Ambulatory payment classification (APC) group 5592, for purposes of reimbursement under the hospital outpatient prospective payment system.

implementation of appropriate use criteria mandate

Support for H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures bill Support for funding the National Institutes of Health, under the FY 2016 Labor/HHS/Ed appropriations bill Support for H.R. 2, Medicare Access and CHIP reauthorization act

preparation for reintroduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act

Support for H.R. 2, repeal of Medicare SGR formula for physician payment; support for funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration's program for automated external defibrillators in communities; support for full funding - FY 2016 labor/HHS/ed appropriations bill, including full funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in particular, funding for the CDC Heart and Stroke Division, CDC WISEWOMAN program and the Million Hearts program; support for S. 488, elimination of the direct supervision requirement for cardiac rehabilitation services; congressional briefing participation - importance of prevention and early detection and treatment in formulating health policy

FY 2016 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, support for full funding including funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute in particular, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, CDCs Million Hearts, and CDCs WISEWOMAN program for prevention of cardiovascular disease. Support for H.R. 2, repeal of Medicare's SGR formula for physician payment Support for eliminating the direct physician supervision requirement for cardiac rehabilitation services - S. 488

FY 2016 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, support for full funding including funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute in particular, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, CDCs Million Hearts, and CDCs WISEWOMAN program for prevention of cardiovascular disease. Support for H.R. 2, repeal of Medicare's SGR formula for physician payment

H.R. 2, repeal of Medicare SGR formula for physician payment

H.R. 2, repeal of Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate formula for physician payment

Support for NIH funding at pre-sequester levels (FY 2015) appropriations Support for H.R. 5539, to exempt journal reprints and medical textbooks from Sunshine Act reporting requirements Support for specialty designation code for advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology

Support for pre-sequester funding levels for the National Institutes of Health (FY 2015) appropriations Review and preparation for recommendation of new placement of a CPT code (75563) in the Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) groups

Support for pre-sequester funding levels for the National Institutes of Health - FY 2015 appropriations

Support for distinguishable names for biosimilars Support for the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HR 5294)

NIH funding; GME funding; Sunshine Act faculty disclosure policy; H.R. 4188, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act; S. 2658, Accelerated Biomedical Research Act; specialty designation code for heart failure specialists

Medicare physician fee schedule (Sunshine Act disclosure, payment policy re secondary interpretation of images, CMS ratesetting transparency)

Medicare physician fee schedule, secondary image interpretations, Sunshine Act reporting

H.R. 5294, the Health Equity and Accountability Act Medicare physician fee schedule Biosimilars naming

Health Equity and Accountability Act reintroduction, aspirin as primary prevention of cardiovascular events, Medicare packaged payment policy (H.R. 4857), biosimiliars

Heart failure quality measures under Medicare

Medicare physician payment reform (HR 4015/S 2000); Funding for Graduate Medical Education; Funding for National Institutes of Health; Need for physician workforce investments; specialty designation code for heart failure specialists

support for in office ancillary services exception under federal physician self referral law

Medicare payment reform (HR 4015/S2000) hospital outpatient payment for cardiac CT

Medicare payment reform (HR 4015/S 2000)

Medicare payment reform (HR 4015/S 2000) Naming of biosimilars NIH funding/NHLBI

NIH funding; funding for Graduate Medical Education, Medicare physician payment reform

Funding for National Institutes of Health Funding for Graduate Medical Education Medicare physician payment reform

Medicare payment reform, SGR repeal, physician payment freeze adjusted for inflation hospital outpatient payment

Medicare payment reform, repeal of SGR, freeze on Medicare physician payment Hospital Outpatient Payment

Medicare physicican payment, repeal of SGR Participation of demographic subgroups in clinical trials health equity and accountability out of pocket cost calculator for health insurance marketplace shopping