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CMS Proposed Changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Alternative Payment Models (APM), Medicare Access and CHIP Re-authorization Act (MACRA), Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Quality Payment Program (QPP), Practitioners, Quality
July 13, 2018

This week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes that would increase the amount of time that doctors and other clinicians can spend with their patients by reducing the burden of paperwork that clinicians face when billing Medicare. The proposed rules would fundamentally improve the nation’s healthcare system and help restore the doctor-patient relationship by empowering clinicians to use their electronic health records (EHRs) to document clinically meaningful information, instead of information that is only for billing purposes.

The proposals, part...

MIPS 2019 Payment Adjustment Fact Sheet

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Practitioners
July 13, 2018

CMS posted a fact sheet to help eligible clinicians and groups understand their Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2019 payment adjustment based on their 2017 performance. The fact sheet highlights how CMS assigns final scores to MIPS-eligible clinicians and how payment adjustment factors are applied for 2019 based on 2017 MIPS final scores.

For more information, check out the...

MIPS Final Scores Available Now from CMS

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Medicare Access and CHIP Re-authorization Act (MACRA), Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Quality Payment Program (QPP), Practitioners
July 5, 2018

If you participated in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2017, your MIPS final score and performance feedback is now available for review on the Quality Payment Program website.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted an additional resource on CMS.gov to help eligible clinicians and groups understand their MIPS 2019 payment adjustment based on their 2017 performance. The...

CMS Data Element Library Webinar — July 11

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Health Information Technology (HIT), Practitioners
July 5, 2018

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is hosting a webinar to provide an overview and demonstration of the Data Element Library (DEL). A resource for providers, vendors, researchers, and other stakeholders that use CMS assessments, the DEL supports interoperability and the exchange and reuse of data across post-acute care and other providers by using common assessment standards and definitions to facilitate coordinated care and improved health outcomes.

The webinar is being held Wednesday, July 11, from 1 to 2 pm ET.

...

Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Passes Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act

Health Policy
Hospice, End-of-Life, Palliative Care, Practitioners
June 28, 2018

This week the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee held a mark =-up hearing that included The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA).  H.R. 1676, introduced by Reps. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Tom Reed (R-NY), and Buddy Carter (R-GA), directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to improve the training of health professionals in palliative care. The bill also increases education and awareness about the benefits and services of palliative care and enhances research on palliative care through leveraging existing authorities...

CMS Announces Updates Related to Nursing Home Compare and Payroll-Based Journal Data

Health Policy
Skilled Nursing Care, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Federal Regulations, Practitioners
June 28, 2018

Long-Stay Hospitalization Quality Measure

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to focus on reducing hospitalizations to improve the health and safety of nursing home residents. Over the last several years, CMS has launched initiatives aimed at reducing hospitalizations, such as the...

CMS Takes Steps Toward Interoperability with Release of Data Element Library

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Practice Management, Health Information Technology (HIT), Practitioners
June 28, 2018

This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the agency’s first Data Element Library (DEL). The DEL is a new CMS database that supports the exchange of electronic health information. Using this free, centralized resource, the public for the first time can view the specific types of data that CMS requires post-acute care facilities (such as nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals) to collect as part of the health assessment of their patients. These assessments include questions and response options (data elements) about patients, including demographics,...

14th Annual LTPAC HIT Summit Takes Steps Toward Interoperability in a Value-Based Healthcare World

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Alternative Payment Models (APM), Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Quality Payment Program (QPP), Practice Management, Health Information Technology (HIT), Practitioners
June 28, 2018

Since 2005, members of the LTPAC HIT Collaborative—a partnership of public-private group of stakeholder organizations representing associations, providers, policy-makers, researchers, vendors, and professionals with a mission to coordinate the sector and maintain alignment with the national priorities—have gathered to discuss how to move adoption and use of health information technology (HIT) in the post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) space.

This year’s Summit looked beyond the PALTC space and invited the acute care partners to be part of that conversation. Representatives from...

Society Joins in Comments on CMS’ Interoperability RFI

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Practice Management, Health Information Technology (HIT), Practitioners
June 28, 2018

The Society joined with the LTPAC HIT Collaborative to submit comments in response to CMS’ request for information (RFI) on interoperability. The Collaborative is a public-private group of stakeholder organizations representing associations, providers, policy-makers, researchers, vendors, and professionals with a mission to coordinate the sector and maintain alignment with the national priorities. The Collaborative was formed in 2005 to advance health information technology (HIT) issues by encouraging coordination among provider organizations, policy-makers, vendors, payers, and other...

Quality Payment Program Look-Up Tool Updated

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Alternative Payment Models (APM), Medicare Access and CHIP Re-authorization Act (MACRA), Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Quality Payment Program (QPP), Practitioners
June 21, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated the Quality Payment Program Look-Up Tool with 2018 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility and Qualifying Alternative Payment Model (APM) Participant (QP) data. Clinicians, enter your National Provider Identifier (NPI) to find out:

  • Whether you need to participate in MIPS in 2018
  • Your Predictive QP status

You can also check 2018 MIPS clinician eligibility at the group level and APM Predictive QP status...