title: MACRA: background, opportunities and challenges for the neurointerventional specialist.
abstract: The legislative branch of government took many by surprise when it announced the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. Once the Act was passed, President Obama quickly signed this bipartisan, bicameral effort into law. A foundational element of this legislation was the permanent repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula. Physicians and their patients were appropriately enthusiastic about this development. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 included additional elements of considerable interest to neurointerventional specialists.
authors.affiliation: NeuroEndovascular Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.affiliation: NeuroEndovascular Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Thabele M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Leslie-Mazwi
authors.affiliation: NeuroEndovascular Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Aman B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: NeuroEndovascular Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rabinov
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Ramon G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Mecklenburg Radiology Associates P.A., Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Nicola
authors.affiliation: Houston Methodist Neurologic Institute, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Klucznik
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Prestigiacomo
authors.affiliation: Pain Management Center of Paducah, Paducah, Kentucky, USA Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: Laxmaiah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manchikanti
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009042:Motivation; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010820:Physicians; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D014481:United States
keywords: Economics; Political