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2019 Medicare Part D Opioid Policies: Training Materials from CMS

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Opioids, Practitioners
December 13, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement new opioid policies for Medicare drug plans on January 1. The new policies include:

  • Improved safety alerts when patients fill opioid prescriptions at the pharmacy
  • Drug management programs for patients at risk for misuse or abuse of opioids or other drugs 

CMS posted new training materials, including slide decks and tip sheets for:

  • ...

Quality Payment Program: Updated List of APMs

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Alternative Payment Models (APM), Practitioners
December 13, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted an  updated list of Alternative Payment Models (APMs) in the Quality Payment Program. The list displays the APMs that CMS currently operated or announced since November 2018, including those considered Advanced APMs and Merit-based Incentive Payment System APMs. 

For More...

CMS Strengthens Nursing Home Oversight and Safety to Ensure Adequate Staffing

Health Policy
Dementia, Practitioners
December 6, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced actions that will bolster nursing home oversight and improve transparency in order to ensure that facilities are staffed adequately to provide high-quality care. These actions include sharing data with states when potential issues arise regarding staffing levels and the availability of on-site registered nurses; clarifying how facilities should report hours and deduct time for staff meal breaks; and providing facilities with new tools to help ensure their resident census is accurate.

Research shows the ratio of nurses...

HHS Issues Draft Strategy to Reduce Health IT Burden

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), End-of-Life, Electronic Health Records (EHR), Health Information Technology (HIT), Practitioners
December 6, 2018

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a draft strategy designed to help reduce administrative and regulatory burden on clinicians caused by the use of health information technology (health IT) such as electronic health records (EHRs).

The draft, Strategy on Reducing Regulatory and Administrative Burden Relating to the Use of Health IT and EHRs, was led by the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health...

Physician Compare Preview Period Open through December 31

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Quality Payment Program (QPP)
December 6, 2018

The Physician Compare preview period is open through December 31 at 8 PM ET. Preview your 2017 Quality Payment Program (QPP) performance information before it appears on the Physician Compare profile pages and in the downloadable database. Access the secured preview through the QPP website....

QRURs and PQRS Feedback Reports: Access Ends December 31

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Medicare Access and CHIP Re-authorization Act (MACRA), Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Quality Payment Program (QPP), Practice Management, Practitioners
December 6, 2018

The final performance period for the Value Modifier and Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) programs was 2016 and the final payment adjustment year is 2018. Quality and Resource Use Reports (QRURs) and PQRS Feedback Reports will no longer be available after the end of 2018. If you need these reports, download them by December 31, 2018, from the CMS Enterprise Portal using an Enterprise Identity Management (EIDM) system account with the correct role. Visit the ...

SNF PPS: New Patient Driven Payment Model CMS Call — December 11

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Quality Payment Program (QPP), Practice Management, Practitioners
December 6, 2018

On October 1, 2019, the new Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) is replacing Resource Utilization Group, Version IV (RUG-IV) for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS). There will be a call about it on Tuesday, December 11, from 1:30 to 3 PM ET. Register here. Topics include:

  • Overview of PDPM, a new case-mix classification system for SNF Part A beneficiaries
  • Changeover from RUG-IV to PDPM

For more information, review the FY 2019 SNF PPS ...

CMS Announces Efforts to Improve Patient Safety, Quality of Care in Nursing Homes

Health Policy
Skilled Nursing Care, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Dementia, Practitioners
November 30, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced upcoming efforts to support better care and outcomes for nursing home residents under the Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP). This three-year initiative aims to improve residents’ quality of life by equipping nursing home staff, administrators, and stakeholders with technical tools and assistance to enhance resident care.

As part of the CMPRP, CMS will develop a variety of work products for nursing home professionals such as staff competency assessment tools, instructional guides, training...

HHS Issues Draft Strategy to Reduce Health IT Burden

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Practice Management, Electronic Health Records (EHR), Practitioners
November 30, 2018

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a draft strategy designed to help reduce administrative and regulatory burden on clinicians caused by the use of health information technology (health IT) such as electronic health records (EHRs).

Strategy on Reducing Regulatory and Administrative Burden Relating to the Use of Health IT and EHRs was led by the HHS Office of the National Coordinator...

Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policy for MIPS-Eligible Clinicians Affected by Hurricanes Florence and Michael

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Alternative Payment Models (APM), Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Practice Management, Practitioners
November 30, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) understands that if you’re a clinician living or practicing in an area affected by Hurricane Florence and/or Hurricane Michael, you may experience difficulties collecting and submitting data for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) on time during the 2018 MIPS performance period. Most recently, for those affected by Hurricane Florence,...