MGMA Lauds N.J. Legislation Calling for Healthcare Administrative Simplification

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.  — The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) supports the introduction of A4161-A4163 by the New Jersey legislature. The three bills would create healthcare administrative efficiencies and savings through:

• Mandating the issuance of machine-readable patient identification cards;
• Standardizing contract forms between commercial health plans and physicians; and
• Standardizing physician credentialing forms.

“MGMA is pleased to see New Jersey join our long-standing call for simplification and standardization in health care as a way to streamline costs for providers and patients,” said William F. Jessee, MD, FACMPE, MGMA’s president and CEO. “These bills address redundant, wasteful administrative tasks that add no value to the process and distract from physicians practices’ true priorities — providing affordable, quality health care.”

The bills also create greater equity and fairness in the contracting process by:

• Requiring commercial health plans to provide a fee schedule; and;
• Mandating notice and written acceptance of any contract changes with no risk to physicians of being dropped from plans if they refuse the amendments.

“We urge the New Jersey legislature to quickly enact this bill as it takes pioneering steps toward tackling administrative issues on the state level,” Jessee said. “We encourage others to consider similar legislation. We also applaud the leadership of the New Jersey Medical Group Management Association and the physician organization, New Jersey Physicians, for working so hard to get this bill introduced.”

MGMA is a leader in the nationwide effort to help reduce the waste and unnecessary cost caused by health care administrative complexity. The association has focused on physician credentialing, benefits and eligibility verification, patient ID card standardization and working with public and private entities to reach cooperative solutions.

Source: Medical Group Management Association