Week In Review

In November 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its Physician Fee Schedule rule for 2025, which includes a number of coding changes of interest for geriatrics health professionals. The AGS will host a related webinar on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET, to review and discuss coding and payment updates under Medicare that will take effect on January 1. The webinar will review changes finalized for 2025, such as the newly adopted advanced primary care management (APCM) services codes and valuation, which recognizes elements that we consider to be vital components of primary care, including team-based care and an ongoing, longitudinal relationship with the patient. The webinar will also cover new codes for caregiver training services, revision to the regulatory definition of an interactive telecommunications system to include two-way audio-only communication technology, and updates to telehealth services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries. The webinar will be hosted by AGS leaders, Drs. Peter Hollmann and Robert Zorowitz, and AGS consultant Denise Merlino, CPC, MBA, CNMT – all recognized for their expertise in payment and coding. Click here to register.

Don’t forget to complete the AGS/ADGAP Benchmarking Surveys that are closing on December 31st. Help us build the best 2023 geriatrics practice dataset possible, which can be used to support geriatrics academic programs and AGS/ADGAP members. Remember, once you complete the surveys, you will have real-time instant access to the aggregated data which allows you to compare your compensation, productivity, and practice characteristics with those of your peers.

AGS geriatrician members’ participation in the AGS/ADGAP Benchmarking Surveys is essential to building this dataset. The more members that complete the surveys, the richer and more meaningful the data will be. 

Participate Today! 

Committee service is an opportunity to strengthen and grow your national network, work on projects that you are passionate about, learn new leadership skills, and so much more. Our committee members are leading writing groups, developing tool kits, improving payment for geriatrics health professionals, and participating in efforts to improve diversity in the research that is presented at the AGS Annual Scientific meeting. 

Learn more about the AGS Committees and the application process here.

For questions, please contact Mary Jordan Samuel at mjsamuel@americangeriatrics.org

Join us in Chicago to reconnect with your colleagues at the premier educational event in geriatrics, the 2025 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting! #AGS25 will provide the latest information on clinical care, research on aging, and innovative models of care delivery. Can’t join us in Chicago? Register for AGS25 On-Demand

AGS25 On-Demand is intended for attendees who are unable to join us in Chicago. This is NOT a virtual annual meeting and does not replicate the in-person meeting. AGS25 On-Demand only provides access to asynchronous annual meeting video recordings available after the in-person meeting. Sessions are NOT live streamed.  

To register for #AGS25, visit the 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting registration website.

• If you have an AGS account, log in with your AGS username and password to register. If you are a member and your membership is valid through May 31, 2025, you will receive the member discount for #AGS25.
• If you do not have an AGS account you will need to create an AGS account in order to register for #AGS25. Click on the “Create an Account” link at the bottom of the page.
• If your membership expires before 5/31/25 or you are not an AGS member, you can renew your membership or become a member of the AGS on the registration site and you will receive the discounted member registration rate

If you need assistance with your AGS login/password or with your registration, please contact us at membership@americangeriatrics.org. or by calling 212-308-1414. 

Get all of the #AGS25 info you need at Meeting.AmericanGeriatrics.org.

The Health in Aging Foundation’s mission is to help older adults maintain health, independence, and quality of life. It’s not too late to make your tax-deductible donation to the AGS Health in Aging Foundation for 2024!  Our work to improve the health of all older adults is made possible thanks to the generosity of people like you.

Donations of any size are greatly appreciated and can be made here: https://ow.ly/YIw850Qmpz7

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Pfizer have updated the current U.S. Government Patient Assistant Program (USG PAP) operated by Pfizer, which will allow Medicare patients who are prescribed Paxlovid to continue to receive the medication at no cost through February 28, 2025. Medicare patients will continue to have two ways to access this medication: a 100% rebate program for plans that have entered into an agreement with Pfizer or through direct enrollment in the USG PAP. The rebate option will close at the end of February. Beginning March 1, 2025, Medicare patients who are under-insured may be eligible to receive no cost Paxlovid through the USG PAP if they have a high co-pay or cannot afford the medication. Medicare beneficiaries who do not have prescription coverage and cannot afford the medication may also qualify for Paxlovid under the USG PAP as uninsured. Starting January 1, 2025, patients who are covered under Medicaid, Tricare, or Veterans Affairs Community Care Network should consult their plan for coverage. If individuals under those plans are facing high co-pays and cannot afford the medication, they may be eligible for no cost Paxlovid through enrollment in the USG PAP. Federal entities including DoD health centers, Veterans Affairs health centers, Indian Health Service health centers, and HRSA-supported health centers will continue to receive free Paxlovid for patients.

Earlier this week, it appeared that Congress reached a bipartisan budget deal to keep the federal government funded at current levels through March 14th and reauthorize critical public health programs, such as the Older Americans Act. In a turn of events Wednesday evening, the bipartisan deal fell apart after President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance released a statement demanding Congress to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and remove certain spending proposals. If Congress fails to come to an agreement and pass a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government level-funded, a government shutdown will occur beginning this Saturday, December 21st. In preparation for a potential shutdown, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its Fiscal Year 2025 contingency plan. We encourage you to review the document, which includes operating division details for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), and other federal agencies. AGS will continue to monitor developments and share updates with you as they become available.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 – 2026 Emerging Leaders in Aging (ELIA) Program, a collaboration between AGS and Tideswell at University of California, San Francisco. This program is now inviting applications for its eleventh cohort of leadership scholars. Applications are due Monday, February 3, 2025 at 5PM Pacific Standard Time. 

Who Should Apply: The program benefits health care professionals, generally 4-10 years out from training, who are embarking on a relatively new leadership endeavor with challenges that involve leading others and leading change to improve the health and lives of older adults. Past scholars are interprofessional, and lead clinical, research, or educational programs.  

Special thanks to the Tideswell community of supporters who have made this possible. To add your support or for questions, please e-mail Leadership@TideswellUCSF.org. 

Take 20% off all AGS publications through 1/2/2025 when you order through GeriatricsCareOnline.org. This discount is in addition to reduced member pricing and is applied automatically to items in your shopping cart. Offer cannot be combined with bulk order discounts.

The AGS Opportunities for Investigators resource serves as a central location for geriatrics and aging-related opportunities such as grant funding, presentation or publication submissions, travel stipends for scholarly meetings, networking events, comment periods, and in-person or virtual meetings and webinars.One upcoming opportunity we'd like to highlight is:

• Submit your application to join the NIH-funded Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN) and Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs) AGING Initiative's MCCs Scholars Program which is  intended to catalyze an expansion of interdisciplinary research relevant to the science of Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCCs) by January 10, 2025.

The MyAGSOnline Events Calendar is a valuable resource to discover and register for upcoming events, webinars, and other opportunities.

Have an opportunity or event you'd like to see listed? Email the details to Jennifer Fisher at jfisher@americangeriatrics.org