Publications

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Primary Care Makes Strides in Improving Quality and Costs

Policy Snapshot
Medicare
October 16, 2015
On October 7, CMS announced promising results of the first shared savings performance year for the Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative. In 2014, CPC practices showed positive quality results, with hospital readmissions lower than national...

CMS Launches New ACO Dialysis Model

Policy Snapshot
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Accountable Care Organization (ACO)
October 16, 2015
Affordable Care Act model designed to improve care for beneficiaries with kidney failure while reducing costs CMS announced the participants for the Comprehensive End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Care (CEC) Model, a new Accountable Care Organization (...

Medicare Learning Network Products Available in Hard Copy Format

Policy Snapshot
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

Policy Snapshot
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...

Review Your PQRS Physician Compare Data

Policy Snapshot
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 access the secured measures preview site now through the...

Federal HIT Strategy

Policy Snapshot
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...

AMDA Joins Others in Urging Delay of Stage 3 Meaningful Use

Policy Snapshot
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...

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

Policy Snapshot
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...

2016 PQRS Payment Adjustment and Informal Review Process

Policy Snapshot
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...

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

Policy Snapshot
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...