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MedPAC Tackles Unified Payment System for Post-Acute Care

Policy Snapshot
Post-Acute Care, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Payment
November 13, 2015
The Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014 requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to develop a prototype prospective payment system (PPS) spanning the post-acute care (PAC) settings, using the...

New FAQs on Participation in EHR Incentive Programs

Policy Snapshot
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Electronic Health Records (EHR), Meaningful Use
November 13, 2015
On October 6, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule with comment for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. To keep you informed of changes to the programs and how to...

2016 PQRS Negative Payment Adjustment and the Informal Review Process

Policy Snapshot
Payment
November 13, 2015
In 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will apply a negative payment adjustment to individual eligible professionals (EPs), Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) practice sites, and group practices participating in the Physician...

CMS Finalizes 2016 Medicare Payment Rules for Physicians, Hospitals & Other Providers

Policy Snapshot
Advance Care Planning, Skilled Nursing Care, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Medicare, Accountable Care Organization (ACO), Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR)
November 7, 2015
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final rules late last week detailing how the agency will pay for services provided to beneficiaries in Medicare by physicians and other health care professionals in 2016 "CMS is pleased...

Paul Ryan Takes Over as House Speaker and New Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee Announced

Policy Snapshot
November 6, 2015
This week, the Republican party elected Paul Ryan (R-WI) as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives. Representative Ryan previously served as the Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee which has jurisdiction over Medicare...

CMS FAQs on Electronic Staffing Data Submission

Policy Snapshot
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Practitioners, Attending Physician, Medical Director, Quality, Improvement
November 6, 2015
Section 6106 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires facilities to electronically submit direct care staffing information (including agency and contract staff) based on payroll and other auditable data. The data, when combined with census...

Antipsychotic Drug Use in Nursing Homes: Trend Update

Policy Snapshot
Skilled Nursing Care, Antipsychotics
October 30, 2015
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is tracking the progress of the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes by reviewing publicly reported measures. The official measure of the Partnership is the percentage...

Discharge Planning Proposed Rule Focuses on Patient Preferences

Policy Snapshot
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Transitions of Care
October 30, 2015
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed to revise the discharge planning requirements that hospitals, including long-term care hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, critical access hospitals, and home health...

HHS Awards more than $240 Million to Expand the Primary Care Workforce

Policy Snapshot
October 23, 2015
On October 14, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced more than $240 million – including about $176 million in Affordable Care Act funding – to support the National Health Service Corps and NURSE Corps...

AMDA Submits Comments on CMS Reforms of Regulations for Long Term Care Facilities

Policy Snapshot
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Federal Regulations
October 16, 2015
This week AMDA submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the Proposed Rule Reform of Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities . AMDA’s extensive comments showed an overall support of the intention of the...