Public Policy

CMS Finalizes Promoting Interoperability

Promoting Interoperability On August 2, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a 2,693-page FY 2019 Medicare IPPS and LTCH Final Rule, detailing changes to the Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program, formerly known as the EHR Incentive Program or Meaningful Use. Under the final rule, several key changes were made to the PI Program: Use of 2015 […]

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Hospital Compare Preview Reports Available

What Is Your Rank in The Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program? CMS released the Hospital Compare Preview Reports on May 2, 2018, on all hospitals that participate in Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program (IQR), Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program (OQR) and/or PPS-Exempt Cancer Hospital Quality Reporting (PCHQR) Programs. Hospitals are encouraged to access and download reports early in

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Hospital Compare Website Updates Available

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated the Hospital Compare website with new quality data. Programs and initiatives that were updated on the website include Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) and Prospective Payment System (PPS)-Exempt Cancer Hospital Quality Reporting (PCHQR). What is updated on the Hospital Compare website? Hospital OQR Program

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Navigating Regulatory Programs: Best Practices for Success

In this industry webinar, you will hear from Michelle Bowes, CMS Regulatory Compliance Team Lead Consultant. Join us as we cover best practices for success in today’s regulatory programs such as: Organizational effort Assignment of responsibility Regulatory Program Data Collection Education Elements Understanding HOW Data is Collected in CEHRT

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Hardship Applications Available for Eligible Hospitals & CAHs

Hardship exception applications for eligible hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) who were eligible to participate in the 2017 performance year of the Medicare EHR Incentive Program, also known as Meaningful Use (MU), are now available. Who does not need to submit a hardship exception application for MU 2017?   Eligible hospitals and CAHs who successfully demonstrated MU in

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What Is The PQRS Program?

According to CMS, The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) is a reporting program that uses a combination of incentive payments and payment adjustments to promote reporting of quality information by individual eligible professionals (EPs). The program provides an incentive payment to individual EPs that satisfactorily participate or satisfactorily report data on quality measures for covered

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Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 Prompts MIPS Changes

On February 8, 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 marking changes to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System(MIPS) track of the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Per the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, clinicians should expect changes to the MIPS “transition” years. Transition Years 2018-2021 2018-2021 are now considered “transition” years The Cost category weight will

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