This post is for Montana Hospitals only. The Montana SLR is open (starting 4/15) for Medicaid Hospital attestations for 2016 Meaningful Use.
Montana hospitals may submit MU attestations for the 2016 Medicaid share of the electronic heath record incentive beginning April 15 through July 15, 2017.
While the SLR is not available for attestations until April 15th, you may verify registration … Read the rest
This post is meant to provide a little more clarification on our MIPS registration blog post dated 4/3. Using the CAHPS for MIPS survey as part of MIPS reporting is optional, so registration is only needed if you are choosing this option.
The CAHPS for MIPS survey measures patient experience and care within a group. The data collected on these … Read the rest
All EHR Incentive Programs require an upgrade to the 2015 version of your EHR this year. As you know, that is a huge endeavor for your organization to take on. Do yourself a favor and choose your MU 90 day reporting period for BEFORE your upgrade. You will have enough issues to deal with after your upgrade; don’t make … Read the rest
Alright, you have decided to finally go for it. Make the BIG switch. We all can agree that not all EHRs are created equal and with the interoperability push hanging over our heads like a cumulonimbus it can make sense to take the plunge. If your organization is switching to align with other practices or because the current … Read the rest
The Montana Antimicrobial Stewardship (ABS) Collaborative is a group effort to create a statewide Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) implementation plan. The goal is to collaborate, assist and offer resources, expertise and available tools through multiple programs into a combined statewide ASP implementation plan for use by Montana inpatient and outpatient facilities.
Montana ABS Collaborative Members include:
This post is exclusively for dual-eligible hospitals and CAHs that have been reporting to BOTH the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive programs. As you may have heard, in 2017 the EH meaningful use requirements differ between the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive programs, adding to the complexity of monitoring and reporting.
It is possible that you may no longer … Read the rest
In the PQRS program, any clinic or practice that wanted to report as a group had to register by June 30 to be able to participate as a group.
However, in the MIPS program, only selected groups will have to register in advance.
Who does NOT need to register?
Our blog post on 3/24 included a MU checklist combining tasks for both EPs and EHs. This post contains a checklist of tasks exclusively for Eligible Hospitals, for 2017 Modified Stage 2 MU reporting. For the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, here is an Eligible Hospital checklist of the tasks you might use to help get you through the 2017 reporting … Read the rest
There are some changes in the 2017 EHR Incentive Programs requirements from last year. The main change is that Medicare eligible providers will now be reporting meaningful use under the Advancing Care Information category in MIPS. For providers and hospitals continuing to report meaningful use under the Medicaid/Medicare EHR Incentive programs, here are the changes for 2017:
For 2017 –
Thank you everyone that subscribed to the CPC+ Blog. I’m excited to use this to communicate with everyone about all of the CPC+ details and upcoming events.
The in-person learning session is scheduled for 5/10 from 8:30-4:30PM. The agenda is under development but the event will be a great opportunity to learn and discuss CPC+ practice activities as … Read the rest
For the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, here is a checklist of the tasks you might use to help get you through the 2017 reporting year. Register for our 4/19 MU webinar, where we will cover all this information in more detail. We will also have blog posts throughout the year to provide additional information on the steps listed below:
2017 … Read the rest
Well, we all have made it! The end of first quarter but Q1 reporting is quickly approaching. Before we get in to the meat of the post I want to put minds at ease and assure you that you do not need to report eCQMs quarterly. These are reported annually. So, what do practices need to report?
Care delivery reports… Read the rest
Living with diabetes is not easy. But finding diabetes-friendly diets, recipes and meal plans are as easy as clicking on the links below.
The American Diabetes Association is a national expert on living with diabetes and offers a variety of education and services. Its website has hundreds of recipes and meal plans available. You can sort them by ingredient, gluten-free, budget-friendly and more. The … Read the rest
For the CPC+ program, CMS will only take CQM data that is produced out of your EHR. That is what the “e” on eCQMs stands for. This means your CQMs must be set up and tracked in your EHR. You will NOT be able to use data that is manually chart abstracted or submitted through a registry, as you could … Read the rest
CMS is requiring practices to track their use of Care Management Fee (CMF) and Comprehensive Primary Care Payments (CPCPC),(CPCP is for track 2 participants only) reimbursement and to utilize the money for specific practice improvement. It is recommended to create a tracking system for how the money from these two payment models is being used to … Read the rest
Part one of this two-part blog series focused on ways seniors can exercise their minds to improve their short-term memory. In part two, we will discuss how seniors can improve their brain health with these five simple steps.
1. Have a positive outlook.
Train yourself to focus on what is good or going well in your life. A bad … Read the rest
Have you recently walked into the kitchen only to forget why you went in there? Do you spend time every day trying to find where you set down your reading glasses or where you put your keys?
These are examples of short-term memory loss. If you have experienced short-term memory loss, then maybe you should consider playing some mind-exercising games. Even though the … Read the rest
Paying for a nursing home or assisted living care can quickly drain lifelong savings. Thankfully, there is financial help for those who qualify through the Medicaid program.
To help you find out whether assistance is within your reach, here is a list of basic requirements.
General criteria for eligibility
These are the non-financial guidelines established by the federal government:
Quarter 1 CPC+ payments were issued in two batches. If you have not gotten your Q1 payment, do not panic! The first was delivered at the end of January and the second batch will be delivered at the end of March. The first quarter payment includes the Per Beneficiary per Month (PBPM) Q1 payment and the Per Beneficiary Incentive … Read the rest
One-third of cancers are preventable, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
You have the power to prevent most types of cancer by making healthy lifestyle choices like eating better and exercising regularly.
If you have not made your New Year’s resolution to live healthier, or if you are not sticking to your plan, remember that it is never too late. Below are five … Read the rest
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) can be versatile tools to create foundation of your quality improvement efforts or they can be a confusing labyrinth. As much as I love David Bowie let’s leave the labyrinth behind. Please review the EHR functionality you will need to meet the requirements for the 2017 CPC+ reporting year.
You are most likely in a flurry of submitting your attestations for 2016 Meaningful Use on the CMS Site. Since the program has been in existence since 2012, you are most likely familiar with the measure and reporting requirements. For MACRA-MIPS, Meaningful Use is the legacy program for the new Advancing Care Information, (ACI) Category, therefore this option for reporting could … Read the rest
An audit is the examination of documents and processes to verify compliance to a set of rules and/or standards during a specific period of time. For MACRA, the time period will be equivalent to your reporting period.
The proof is in the pudding and your audit file should be just that – a bowl full of pudding that supports how … Read the rest
Give yourself the gift of heart health this Valentine’s Day by seeing your doctor to find out if you are heart healthy. Following these five steps will help put you on the path to better health:
See your doctor.
The only way to truly know if you’re heart healthy is to see your doctor to get … Read the rest
MACRA/MIPs will be scored based on four domains: Quality, Advancing Care Information, Improvement Activities, and Cost. Final scores are calculated on a 100 point scale. The table below from CMS provides a breakdown of the score to payment adjustment relationship. Eligible clinicians only need to have 3 points to avoid the payment adjustment.
Each domain carries a different weight, which can vary based on … Read the rest
Medicaid provides low-cost health insurance to millions of Americans. And with Montana’s recent Medicaid expansion, more people can get coverage. Here are the top four questions people ask about Medicaid eligibility.
Am I eligible?
Visit the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (MT DPHHS) website to find out if you qualify for Medicaid. Click on the “Am I Eligible?” tab (top, right corner of the … Read the rest
Following are the attestation deadlines for the 2016 reporting year for both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.
Medicare Program Attestation Deadline
• 02/28/17 – For both eligible hospitals and eligible providers
Medicaid Program Attestation Deadline
• Alaska: 03/1/17 – for both eligible hospitals and eligible providers
• Hawaii: 03/31/17 – for both eligible hospitals and eligible providers
• Montana: 03/31/17 … Read the rest
The start of a new program year always has a flood of questions and the fear of missing a deadline. Do not fear! This blog will have you covered for all of the time sensitive CPC+ reporting.
Here is a list of task you may find helpful to navigate through the first year of CPC+. Please let me know if … Read the rest
Out with the old and in with the new! As designated providers part ways with PQRS, Medicare Meaningful Use, and the Value-Based Modifier we say hello to CPC+. The first reporting period for CPC+ starts January 1st, 2017.
As the Regional Learning Network for Montana and Hawaii, Mountain Pacific will use this blog to help step you through this first year … Read the rest
Did you know the top New Year’s resolutions include losing weight and staying fit and healthy? Did you also know that only 8% of people who set goals for the new year succeed in reaching them?
Creating New Year’s resolutions are easier than sticking to them. So what is the best way to achieve your goals in the new year? Keep them … Read the rest
When CMS released the final ruling for the MIPS program last month, there was a slight sigh of relief as the cost category was assigned a 0% weight factor for the 2017 performance year. With the MIPS “pick your pace” concept, it will be extremely easy and very tempting for eligible clinicians and groups to overlook the cost category in 2017, since it will have … Read the rest
There are just a few days until the New Year, and CMS has updated their website with new meaningful use resources and information for the 2017 reporting period. Here are just the highlights for the Eligible Professional (EP) Medicaid EHR Incentive Program and the Eligible Hospital (EH) Medicaid and Medicare EHR Incentive Program (this blog does not include MIPS requirements).
For 2017 … Read the rest
Pressure injuries can be serious wounds, and preventive care is one of the best ways to avoid them. As a care giver, that means knowing the signs and stages of pressure injuries, because like many conditions, the earlier you identify symptoms and treat them, the better the outcome.
Pressure injuries, also called pressure ulcers, bed sores, pressure sores or decubitus ulcers, occur when weight is continually put on a … Read the rest
QPP Greetings! It’s not too early to start preparing for MIPS reporting in 2017. There are four categories in the MIPS program – Quality, Advancing Care Information, Cost, and the new program category, Improvement Activities. These new improvement activities were added as a CMS strategy to achieve the goals of better, smarter, and healthier care using a patient centered approach.… Read the rest
The 2016 year is almost over and we are all busy making and hopefully marking off our holiday preparation checklists. So it is fitting to take a look at the PQRS checklist and get that big marker out to make checks on numbers one through ten. That is where you should be comfortable sitting at this point in the project and … Read the rest
Question: I got my flu shot, but I still got the flu. I don’t think I am going to bother next time.
Answer: Please continue to get the flu shot. There are a couple of important points to remember about flu shots. One reason you may have gotten the flu is because you were exposed to the flu before you got your flu shot. It takes up to … Read the rest
Can you believe it is almost the end of 2016? Hopefully you have completed the steps needed to meet the requirements of Meaningful Use for this year. If you have providers that are new to your organization or new to Meaningful Use, there are some additional steps you will need to take.
If a provider is new to the Meaningful … Read the rest
Well, we are almost to the end of 2016. As you know, CMS has approved a 90-day reporting period for MU for 2016. Just to make sure you have everything taken care of, here is a list of tasks needed for successful completion of MU for 2016 –
1. Choose a continuous 90-day reporting period for 2016 (see more … Read the rest
I’ll be the first to admit that I ask a ton of questions when I see my health care provider: “Why is that? What is the cause? How should it look? Should I be concerned?”
And as soon as I walk out of my provider’s office all of that medical speak went in one ear and out the other; the whole experience seemed like a … Read the rest
If you missed our 2016 MU End of Year Review webinar on 12/8, here is the link to the recording and presentation slides.
The following topics were covered in this webinar –
