For the 2017 reporting year, the MIPS Quality Category will account for 60% of the overall MIPS performance score. The Quality category replaces PQRS that eligible clinicians may already be familiar with.
Most participants will report 6 quality measures, including one outcome measure, for at least 90 days in order be eligible for a possible positive adjustment. For groups reporting … Read the rest
Hands down (preferably under running water and with soap), one of the most important things you can do to protect your health and that of those around you is to wash your hands.
Why is hand washing so important? Germs are everywhere and on just about everything. They can be transferred to your body by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Since you can’t go through life with hands in … Read the rest
If you haven’t registered yet, please Register Now for a webinar on Thursday, December 8, 1-2 pm MST for a review of all 2016 Meaningful Use tasks.
We will review the following topics in this webinar –
Flu is like a secret. It is best kept to yourself.
The flu, also known as influenza, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. These viruses change yearly, so it is important to get a flu shot every year.
Did you know that more than 100,000 people are hospitalized every year because of the flu?
Protect yourself and your loved ones by getting immunized. If you have … Read the rest
The Quality Payment Program has two tracks for participation – APMs and MIPS. CMS anticipates the majority of providers will be in the MIPS track in 2017. But, there are alternative payment models which may be available within the Mountain-Pacific region so we’d like to give you a review of APMs.
It’s important to know that being involved in an … Read the rest
We often associate the holidays with food, which is a wonderful part of getting together with friends and family. But holiday food can also cause some havoc with diabetes management and weight control.
Don’t fret, though. You can still enjoy the holidays and the food by following six simple steps:
1. Keep your schedule and plan ahead.
Manage your diabetes just as you would … Read the rest
January 1, 2017 – This is the starting date of the Quality Payment program (QPP). If you are ready to participate for a full year of reporting, you can begin collecting your performance data starting on January 1.
June 30, 2017 – Clinician groups, who will use the CMS Web Interface as a reporting method, must register by June 30, 2017. Groups … Read the rest
As you know, CMS has approved a 90-day reporting period for 2016. You can use any continuous 90 days in the 2016 calendar year for 2016. Please keep the following in mind –
Some of the “yes/no” MU objectives need to happen during or before the end of your reporting period.
You know using tobacco is an unhealthy habit.
You know your loved ones keep asking you to quit.
So what are you waiting for? Quit smoking or chewing today!
Did you know: Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Smoking is also … Read the rest
It’s the “final countdown” and the last month for collecting and reviewing your data for 2016 PQRS reporting. Here is a short list of ideas to improve your success for data submission.
1) Know the reporting requirements of your EHR vendor, Registry or other method that you are using. Monitor that data extracted fits the requirements.
As you have probably heard, starting in 2017 the Medicare EHR Incentive Program (Meaningful Use) will become part of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) under the MACRA law. The Medicaid EHR Incentive Program will remain as is, and will be a separate program.
There are a lot of questions out there about the Quality Payment Program. HTS will be … Read the rest
Flexibility and “Pick your Pace” are a few key descriptions for the Quality Payment Program in 2017. You can choose to report minimally which results in no negative adjustment in 2019. Only if your are eligible and you do not report will you receive a -4% negative adjustment on your Medicare Part B charges.
What are the options for reporting in 2017 for … Read the rest
If you find yourself in need of services once you leave a hospital, or if you’re caring for a parent in need of in-home services, home health care or private duty nursing may be just what you’re looking for. It’s important to realize though that each service option offers different levels of care.
Home health care requires a … Read the rest
It is November and you are happily pulling data from your EHR system in preparation of submitting through your selected reporting mechanisms. If your EHR is robust, you may be able to generate data in multiple formats and therefore may have options in the mechanism. Here is a brief overview of those mechanisms and the types of reports used to submit … Read the rest
Let’s revisit Eligibility –
The following clinicians are considered eligible clinicians for the 2017 performance year –
Rural and frontier providers in Montana and Wyoming can now be part of a revolutionary health care model that will help them give better care to more people, right where they live.
As part of a new initiative funded by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Mountain-Pacific Quality Health is looking to connect Montana and Wyoming rural communities with an inter-professional … Read the rest
Mountain-Pacific Quality Health’s own Marci Butcher recently won the Diabetes Educator of the Year Award from the American Association of Diabetes Educators – a national award. November is American Diabetes Month, so Marci took some time to discuss the importance of diabetes awareness.
Question: What are the primary contributing factors of diabetes?
Marci: Diabetes is actually a group of diseases that have … Read the rest
Hey all you meaningful users! As you all know, security risk assessments are a requirement for meeting meaningful use. However, the requirement for them and their importance is greater than just the MU program. Below is information from Susan Clarke, our Health Care Information Security and Privacy Practitioner:
“2016 is the biggest HIPAA enforcement Year for the Office for Civil … Read the rest
CMS has approved a 90-day EHR reporting period in 2016 and for 2017 for all returning eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals (EHs) and critical hospitals (CAHs) that have previously demonstrated meaningful use in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, as part of the Hospital Outpatient Perspective Payment System (OPPS). See all rule changes included in OPPS changes (MU changes … Read the rest
The MACRA-Quality Payment Program encompasses the current legacy programs of PQRS, MU and Value Modifier. Therefore, if you have been engaged in all or some of these programs, the QPP will be familiar and not to be alarmed about. Here are some quick facts on the Quality Payment Program and items to consider at this point in time.
Identify … Read the rest
The long awaited Final Rule for the MACRA – Quality Payment Program is now available for your evening reading. Several webinars have already been hosted to begin absorbing information on this new program.
We have started this blog as a way to provide timely information and ideas and tools to help you through the decisions and the tasks in order … Read the rest
This post is applicable to Montana eligible hospitals only. The Montana State Level Registry (SLR) deadline for eligible hospitals attesting to the Medicaid MU program for 2015 is October 31, 2016.
If you need any assistance or are experiencing any technical issues with your Montana Medicaid 2015 meaningful use attestation, you can contact the MT SLR Helpdesk … Read the rest
When people need more care than they can get at home or in the community, a nursing home may be the best choice. However, choosing a nursing home for a loved one can be an overwhelming and emotionally challenging process. There are resources though that can help you find a nursing home that best meets your loved one’s needs and offers the best in quality care. … Read the rest
Eligible providers who practice in multiple locations must take some additional steps in order to successfully participate in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive programs (meaningful use).
The meaningful use program is measured/tracked at the provider level and not the practice level. So if a provider practices in more than one location (with a certified EHR), they must combine the meaningful … Read the rest
Hey, just a quick reminder that you should begin registering your new providers in preparation for MU attestation. Whether your providers are new to meaningful use (EHR Incentive Program) or just new to your clinic, there is some work you will need to do in order to attest them this year.
Providers New to Your Clinic (but not to MU)
If you have new … Read the rest
The Pearl City Nursing Home in Hawaii increased staff influenza immunization rates by more than 40% in 2015 after implementing successful strategies to encourage immunizations. Mountain-Pacific Quality Health helped the facility plan and implement proven strategies to help increase staff immunization rates.
Denise Bilodeau, administrator of the Pearl City Nursing Home, knew she wanted to increase the immunization rates of her staff but wasn’t … Read the rest
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among American women (outside of skin cancer) and more than 40,000 women die from breast cancer every year in the United States. Make sure you know the warning signs and how to conduct a breast self-exam.
The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that if you are 50 to 74 … Read the rest
Let’s clarify, “right off the bat”, that reporting Measure Groups is only available if reporting individually and using the Registry submission method. It is not available if you have chosen GPRO, but is available if you are in a group and are still electing to report individually within the group TIN.
A measure group is defined as a subset of individual PQRS measures … Read the rest
We are coming down to the last 90 days of 2016 and I’m sure like me, you are waiting to hear if CMS will approve a 90 day reporting period for 2016. Hopefully we will hear from CMS on that within the next few weeks. Until we do, the most important thing you could do, regardless of if there will be a 90 day … Read the rest
Soon, CMS will begin distributing letters to each Eligible Professional who did NOT satisfactorily report 2015 PQRS quality measures. The purpose of this letter is to inform each individual or group who will be receiving a 2.0% reduction on all their 2017 Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule payments. The good news is the majority of eligible professionals successfully reported PQRS … Read the rest
CMS released the 2015 Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) Feedback Reports and 2015 Annual Quality and Resource Use Reports (QRURs) on September 26, 2016.
The 2015 PQRS Feedback report contains all detailed information needed to determine your performance year 2015 PQRS reporting results and indicates if you are subject to the 2017 PQRS negative payment adjustment.
The 2015 Annual … Read the rest
If you are struggling with depression and thinking about suicide, you’re not alone. There is help. If you think a friend or family member may be depressed and suicidal, talk to them to see if they have the warning signs and get them help if needed.
No matter what time it is, help is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Calls to the suicide prevention hotlines below are … Read the rest
Mountain-Pacific Quality Health encourages everyone to take action to reduce prescription opioid abuse by properly disposing of prescription drugs and securing your medicine cabinet.
It’s Fall Prevention Awareness Week and Mountain-Pacific would like to remind seniors and their caregivers about the importance of preventing falls.
Every 15 seconds in the United States someone 65 or older is treated in an emergency room for a fall-related injury; every 29 minutes, someone 65 or older dies from fall-related injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most falls are preventable and individuals, caregivers, … Read the rest
Hey everyone, this is just a friendly reminder that a security risk assessment is required as part of meaningful use (MU) for EVERY reporting year. Below is text regarding this requirement from the CMS Security Risk Analysis Tip Sheet.
“Conducting a security risk analysis (SRA) is required when certified EHR technology is adopted in the first reporting year. In … Read the rest
The CMS Informal Review Request is a mechanism for providers and groups to request a review of negative payment adjustments for PQRS and the Value Modifier. This process allows individual Eligible Professionals, CPC practices, PQRS group practices and ACOs to request review of the payment adjustment determination.
When an informal review request is submitted, CMS will investigate whether a … Read the rest
This information is for EPs and EHs participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program (meaningful use) only.
If 2016 is the first year you are participating in the Medicare meaningful use program, you will only need to report data for a 90-day period. However, if you want to avoid Medicare payment adjustments for CY2017, you will need to attest to … Read the rest
Healthy aging is a hot topic and rightly so—more Americans are living longer than ever. This is due, in part, to advancements in medicine—but that will only take you so far—you also need to commit to “living” healthier. Below are a few ideas to help get you on your way:
Good News.. as you have options for MACRA reporting in 2017! CMS posted in a September 8 blog that there will be flexibility in reporting for the Quality Payment Program in 2017.
The blog explains four options for reporting in 2017. A summary of the options are –
a) Test the Quality Payment Program – submittal of any acceptable data … Read the rest
