When I think about the forthcoming physician payment and EHR incentive program, known as MACRA, it brings to mind macramé, the 1970s crafting fad of tying cords to make decorative household items.

When I think about macramé, I naturally think about knots. And when I think about knots, I start thinking about MACRA again, because MACRA is an extremely knotty topic – even for health care.

In a new tip sheet, I attempt to untangle MACRA by laying out the basics. MACRA is important for journalists to understand because it is about to become a big deal for physician practices across the country.  It’s arguably the biggest change to physician payments in 20 years. And it will require physicians to continue down the path to EHR adoption and interoperability. Continue reading →

Rebecca Vesely is AHCJ's topic leader on health information technology and a freelance writer. She has written about health, science and medicine for AFP, the Bay Area News Group, Modern Healthcare, Wired, Scientific American online and many other news outlets.