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Medicare Learning Network Products Available in Hard Copy Format

Health Policy
Medicare
October 16, 2015

To access a product available for order in a hard copy format, go to Medicare Learning Network Products, scroll down to the bottom of the web page to the “Related Links” section, and click on the “Medicare Learning Network Product Ordering Page.”

CMS Releases Final Rule for Stage 3 Meaningful Use

Health Policy
Electronic Health Records (EHR), Health Information Technology (HIT), Meaningful Use
October 9, 2015

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released final rules that simplify requirements and add new flexibilities for providers to make electronic health information available when and where it matters most and for health care providers and consumers to be able to readily, safely, and securely exchange that information. The final rule for 2015 Edition Health IT Certification Criteria (2015 Edition) and final rule with comment period for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records (EHRs)...

Review Your PQRS Physician Compare Data

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), Attending Physician
October 9, 2015

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has opened the 30-day preview period for the 2014 quality measures that will be reported on Physician Compare later this year. You can...

Federal HIT Strategy

Health Policy
Health Information Technology (HIT)
October 2, 2015

The Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015 – 2020, was released last week and outlines the commitments of all the agencies that use or influence the use of health IT across the nation for the next five years. The Plan is an action plan for federal partners, as they work to expedite high-quality, accurate, secure, and relevant electronic health information for stakeholders across the nation. The Plan’s strategies for achieving this aim focus on making electronic...

AMDA Joins Others in Urging Delay of Stage 3 Meaningful Use

Health Policy
Medicare, Electronic Health Records (EHR)
September 18, 2015

AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, along with the American Medical Association and 40 other organizations, recently sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell asking for a pause in the meaningful use stage 3 program as well as a reevaluation the full program in light of new changes to Medicare with the passage of the Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the development of the MIPS payment system.

“The proposed MU Stage 3 regulation...

Clarifying Questions and Answers Related to the CMS/AMA Joint Announcement and Guidance Regarding ICD-10 Flexibilities — Update

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Quality
September 18, 2015

On July 6, 2015, CMS and the American Medical Association (AMA) released a joint statement about their efforts to help the provider community get ready for ICD-10. This statement included guidance from CMS that allows for flexibility in the claims auditing and quality reporting processes. In response to questions from the health care community, CMS released...

2016 PQRS Payment Adjustment and Informal Review Process

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS)
September 18, 2015

On September 11, CMS began distributing letters to Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) individual Eligible Professionals (EPs), EPs providing services at Critical Access Hospitals billing under method II, and group practices about the 2016 PQRS negative payment adjustment. The letter indicates that an individual or group did not satisfactorily report 2014 PQRS quality measures in order to avoid the 2.0% 2016 negative PQRS payment adjustment.

If I received the payment adjustment letter, what are my options?

If you believe that you have been incorrectly...

CMS Releases “Medicare-Required SNF PPS Assessments” Educational Tool

Health Policy
Skilled Nursing Care, Medicare, Payment, Minimum Data Set
September 18, 2015

The “Medicare-Required SNF PPS Assessments” Educational Tool (ICN 909067) was released and is now available in downloadable format. This educational tool is designed to provide education to Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) on Prospective Payment System (PPS) assessment overviews, factors affecting the assessment schedule, and assessment results...

AMDA Comments on 2016 Physician Fee Schedule

Health Policy
Advance Care Planning, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment
September 18, 2015

AMDA submitted comments this week on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rule for Medicare Program; Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2016 and applauded CMS’ efforts to continue to address the unique needs of the post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) population.

AMDA urged CMS to finalize their proposal to provide reimbursement for advance care planning (ACP) services. “ACP is an integral...

AMDA Comments on CMS Proposal on Joint Replacement Payment Model

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Alternative Payment Models (APM)
September 18, 2015

This week AMDA submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rule for Medicare Program; Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CCJR) Payment Model for Acute Care Hospitals Furnishing Lower Extremity Joint Replacement Services. AMDA urged CMS to support the following principles in the development of a revised CCJR proposal and in the development of other Alternative Payment Models:

  1. Enable physician-identified improvements in care that cannot
    2. ...