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Application Period Begins for Participation in the Medicare Advantage Qualifying Incentive Arrangement Demonstration

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Alternative Payment Models (APM), Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Practitioners
August 9, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now accepting applications for participation in the Medicare Advantage Qualifying Incentive Arrangement (MAQI) Demonstration.

The MAQI Demonstration is designed to test whether exempting Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)-eligible clinicians who participate to a sufficient degree in certain payment arrangements with Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) from the MIPS reporting requirements and payment adjustment will increase or maintain participation in payment arrangements similar to Advanced Alternative Payment...

CMS Issues Final Rule Implementing Major Changes to SNF PPS

Health Policy
Skilled Nursing Care, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Practitioners
August 2, 2018

On July 31, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule outlining fiscal year (FY) 2019 Medicare payment updates and quality program changes for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and implementing sweeping payment changes known as the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM). The Society has been actively engaged with other stakeholders on the development of this new model...

CMS to Host Webinar on MIPS Quality Performance Category for Year 2 (2018) on August 6

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), Practitioners
August 2, 2018

CMS officials will host a webinar outlining requirements for quality reporting under the 2018 (Year 2) Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) on Monday, August 6, from 1-2 pm. The webinar will cover topics including category requirements, scoring details, and data submission mechanisms.

Register now for this webinar....

House Passes Health Workforce Training Bills

Health Policy
End-of-Life Care, Palliative Care, Practitioners
July 26, 2018

This week the House of Representatives passed four bills to provide health care workforce training and medical education:

  • H.R. 1676, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, would direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to train health care workers in palliative care. It also would create a national awareness campaign about the benefits and services of palliative care. The bill would authorize $49.1 million a year for five years.
  • H.R. 3728, the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency
    • ...

SNF QRP Non-Compliance Letters: Request for Reconsideration by August 7

Health Policy
Skilled Nursing Care, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Practitioners
July 26, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided notifications to facilities that were determined to be out of compliance with Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements for CY 2017. This will impact your FY 2019 Annual Payment Update. Non-compliance notifications were mailed by Medicare Administrative Contractors and placed into QIES CASPER folders on July 9.

If you receive a letter of non-compliance, you may submit a request for reconsideration to CMS via email no later than 11:59 pm PT on August 7. See the instructions in your...

Upcoming MIPS Webinars from CMS

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Medicare Access and CHIP Re-authorization Act (MACRA), Quality Payment Program (QPP), Practice Management, Practitioners
July 26, 2018

Here are a few upcoming webinars on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS):

·MIPS Improvement Activities Performance Category Year 2 Overview

Wednesday, August 1, 1-2 pm ET

Topics include category requirements, scoring details, and data submission mechanisms.

Register ...

CMS Proposed Rule Offers New SNF Specialty Measure Set and Other Big Changes

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Alternative Payment Models (APM), Coding, Reimbursement, & Documentation, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, Medicare Access and CHIP Re-authorization Act (MACRA), Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), Quality Payment Program (QPP), Practice Management, Practitioners
July 19, 2018

Late last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the proposed Physician Fee Schedule Rule for 2019.  It includes provisions for the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for 2019 as well as the physician fee schedule.  AMDA staff is reading the 1,473-page proposed rule and will develop comments prior to the September 10 deadline.

Here are some highlights of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) proposals:

  • ...

CMS Offers Guidance to Help Understand Your MIPS Score

Health Policy
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment, Merit-Based Incentive Program Payment System (MIPS), Practitioners
July 19, 2018

CMS posted the 2017 Performance Feedback User Guide to help eligible clinicians and groups understand their 2017 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance feedback. This guide:

  • Discusses who can access MIPS performance feedback
  • Highlights the differences between preliminary and final performance feedback
  • Provides step-by-step instructions for accessing your feedback

If you...

Leading Edge Acceleration Projects Funding Opportunity

Health Policy
Health Information Technology (HIT), Practitioners
July 19, 2018

The Leading Edge Acceleration Projects (LEAP) in Health Information Technology seeks to address well-documented and fast-emerging health IT challenges. The Office of the National Coordinator’s (ONC) Notice of Funding Opportunity is specifically interested in innovative solutions and breakthrough advances in (1) expanding the scope, scale, and utility of application program interfaces (APIs) for population-level data and (2) advancing clinical knowledge at the point of care.

One recipient will be selected for each area of...

Register for Web Stream of ONC’s 2nd Interoperability Forum

Health Policy
Health Information Technology (HIT), Practitioners
July 19, 2018

Register for the Office of the National Coordinator’s (ONC) 2nd Interoperability Forum on August 6 and 8. In-person attendance is now full, but you can still register for the streaming sessions on those dates.

Go here to register: ONC's 2nd Interoperability Forum