Start Your FREE Membership NOW
• Discover Proven Ways to Be a Better Medical Office Manager
• Get Our Daily eNewsletter, MOMAlert, and MUCH MORE
• Absolutely NO Risk or Obligation on Your Part -- It's FREE!
EMAIL ADDRESS

Upgrade to Premium Membership NOW for Just $90!
• Get 3 Months of Full Premium Membership Access
• Includes Our Monthly Newsletter, Office Toolbox, Policy Center, and Archives
• Plus, You Get FREE Webinars, and MUCH MORE!
Home » topics » Health care reform
CMS

2022 APM incentive payment public notice deadline Tuesday

October 30, 2022 by

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) previously published 2022 Alternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive Payment details on the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website. To access this information, clinicians and surrogates can now log in to the QPP website using their HARP credentials. Eligible clinicians who were Qualifying APM Participants (QPs) based on their 2020 performance should have begun receiving their 2022 5% APM Incentive Payments earlier this summer. CMS has posted the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive Payments for 2022 for more details.  More information is also available on the Federal Register. If you have not received your payment, you should check for your name on the 2022 QP Notice for APM Incentive Payment Zip File, which indicates that you will need to verify your Medicare billing information. If you do not verify your Medicare billing information by… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: , ,
WORKPLACE WELLNESS

Five essentials to support employee mental health and well-being

October 26, 2022 by

As reports of quiet quitting and the Great Resignation have shown, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the nature of work for many and the relationship that some workers have with their jobs. In response, the United States Surgeon General has released the Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace, outlining the foundational role that workplaces should play in promoting the health and well-being of workers and communities. With more than 160 million people participating in the United States workforce and with the average full-time worker in the United States spending about half of their waking life at work, workplaces play a significant role in shaping mental and physical well-being. Employers have a unique opportunity not only to invest in the mental health and well-being of their workforce, but… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: , , , , ,
CMS

Reminder: 2023 MIPS self-nomination closes Sept. 1

August 27, 2022 by

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would like to remind you that the end of the 2023 MIPS Self-Nomination for Qualified Clinical Data Registries (QCDRs) and Qualified Registries is Sept. 1, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET. The Self-Nomination form on the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website will lock at the deadline, and users won’t be able to make additional edits. You need to ensure that your 2023 MIPS Self-Nomination form is complete and then click the Submit for Review button on the QPP website before the deadline. You can only submit the Self-Nomination form for review after all required fields are complete on each tab. Each tab has a vertical progress indicator on the left side of the form that shows your progress. A green checkmark shows you’ve completed the tab,… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: ,
BILLING & COLLECTIONS

Medicare covering OTC COVID-19 tests

April 4, 2022 by

Starting this week and through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), Medicare covers and pays for over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests at no cost to people with Medicare Part B, including those with Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. In addition to helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, the goal is to find out if Medicare payment for OTC COVID-19 tests will improve access to testing and result in Medicare savings or other program improvements. What’s covered Eligible providers or suppliers can distribute U.S. FDA-approved, authorized, or cleared OTC COVID-19 tests to patients enrolled in Part B, including those enrolled in MA plans. Patients who only have Medicare Part A can get free OTC COVID-19 tests through other government-led programs, like covidtests.gov, which operates through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Or,… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: , , ,
MIPS

Submit your Promoting Interoperability measures and improvement activities

April 4, 2022 by

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reminds you to submit Promoting Interoperability measures and improvement activities for consideration for future years of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The MIPS Annual Call for Measures and Activities process allows clinicians, professional associations and medical societies that represent clinicians, researchers, consumer groups, and others to identify and submit measures and activities. Currently, CMS is accepting submissions for: Measures for the Promoting Interoperability performance category Activities for the improvement activities performance category What CMS is looking for For Promoting Interoperability: CMS is looking for specific measures that build on the advanced use of certified EHR technology (CEHRT) using 2015 Edition Certification Standards and Criteria; promote interoperability and health information exchange; improve program efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility; provide patients access to their health information; reduce clinician… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: , , ,
PATIENT ACCESS

Medical association happy with telehealth extensions

March 28, 2022 by

The American Medical Association (AMA) salutes Congress for passing telehealth provisions in the omnibus spending bill that promise a new era of access for patients across the country. “Congress has taken a crucial step in starting a revolution in patient access. The AMA aims to continue being a partner in moving it forward,” said AMA President Gerald E. Harmon, M.D. “The dramatic increase in adoption of telehealth that occurred in 2020 has allowed medical care that combines in-person and virtual services to become the new standard of care. This new legislation guarantees that patients with Medicare will continue to benefit from this important innovation in health care delivery.” (Medical Office Manager is offering a webinar on telehealth April 6.  Speaker Jen Bell of Karen Zupko & Associates will present Telehealth:… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: , , ,
MOM WEBINAR

Learn about changes and updates to telehealth

March 25, 2022 by

There’s a lot you need to know about telehealth. That’s why Medical Office Manager is offering a webinar, Telehealth—What Managers Need to Know, on April 6. It’s free to Medical Office Manager members. Presenter Jen Bell of Karen Zupko and Associates will give you the tools and knowledge you need to comply with new telehealth regulations. Meanwhile here is Jen’s update on telehealth changes to early 2022. POS 10 Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home Patient is located in their home (which is a location other than a hospital or other facility where the patient receives care in a private residence) when receiving health services or health related services through telecommunication technology. Home may be defined to include temporary lodging (hotels, homeless shelters) and patient travels of short distance from the exact… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: , , , , , , , ,
MIPS DEADLINE LOOMS

5 tips for a smoother submission process

March 14, 2022 by

By Jessica Zeff For those of us who have any interactions with the Merit-Based Incentive Program (MIPS), January to March is a particularly busy time of year. Some of us are still working through 2021 documentation audits, checking calculations, collaborating with clinical data registries, and generally working towards making our 2021 MIPS submissions to CMS. At the same time, we’re already submitting data for the 2022 MIPS data collection, applying lessons learned from last year, and planning our MIPS audit strategies for this year. This effort entails understanding changes to the MIPS program and related measures, that is, topped out measures, measures that have changed or been removed, and working with partners to make sure accurate data collection processes are in place. Whoa, that’s quite a lot to cram into… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: ,
AMA SURVEY

Telehealth utilization plateaus but pandemic surges are still a game changer

October 8, 2021 by

Digital technology has laid the groundwork for the long-term shift of medical care from in-person to virtual settings. And while it didn’t start the movement, the COVID-19 pandemic certainly accelerated it. The American Medical Association’s latest Physicians Practice Benchmark Survey offers new insight into the extent and direction of physician practice utilization of telehealth services both before and during the pandemic. Punchline: Between September 2018 and September 2020, telehealth utilization grew from 25 percent to nearly 80 percent. Telehealth Utilization Patterns The AMA’s Division of Economic and Health Policy Research has conducted the Physician Practice Benchmark Survey evaluating physician practice arrangements and payment methodologies for every year since 2012. The analysis draws from the responses of thousands of post-residency physicians who take care of patients for at least 20 hours… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH: ,
QPP

First snapshot ready for APM status and data

July 13, 2021 by

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated its Quality Payment Program Participation Status Tool based on the first snapshot of Alternative Payment Model (APM) data. The first snapshot, posted July 8,  includes data from Medicare Part B claims with dates of service between Jan. 1, 2021 and March 31, 2021. The tool includes 2021 Qualifying APM Participant (QP) status and Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) APM participation status. To learn more about how CMS determines QP and the APM participation status for each snapshot, visit the APM Determination webpage on the QPP website. What does QP status mean? If you qualify as a QP, this means you are: Eligible for the 5% APM incentive bonus; Eligible for APM-specific rewards; and Exempt from participating in MIPS. How do I check my QP… . . . read more.

TAGGED WITH:

(-0)