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CMS Releases 2021 Proposed Rule for the QPP
On August 3, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2021. The proposed rule includes updates to the Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP) and Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) for the 2020 and 2021 performance years. Here is what you need to know about the proposed rule. Key […]
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NextGen EHR Clients Participating with an ACO
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offers clinicians, groups, hospitals, and other healthcare providers the opportunity to form Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). CMS has several ACO programs depending on your location, patient population, and prior ACO experience. Private payers also have ACO programs to increase the value of patient care. All ACOs strive to […]
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CMS Guidance on Telehealth Encounters in eCQMs
In June 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance on including telehealth encounters in electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) for the 2020 and 2021 quality reporting performance periods. Here is what you need to know about this new policy as an eligible professional or eligible clinician. COVID-19 Has Increased Telehealth Use […]
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Additional COVID-19 Pandemic Healthcare Regulatory Changes
The COVID-19 pandemic continues, with the US being the current epicenter of the crisis. As of the first week in May, the worldwide death count reached nearly a quarter of a million people. Of that total, almost 80,000 deaths were in the US. Experts don’t agree on the duration and severity of the viral outbreak. Still, […]
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NCQA PCMH, HEDIS, & CMS QPP Policy Changes for COVID-19
The current COVID-19 pandemic has overshadowed any other medical issue for weeks and will continue to do so in the coming months. Obviously, the coronavirus crisis has placed incredible pressure on all aspects of the medical system. Providers are struggling to care for those sick with the virus as well as their regular patients. Their […]
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CMS Changes for Helping with COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic has shaken the healthcare industry and is placing caregivers and facilities under enormous clinical and financial strain. In an effort to lessen that strain and focus on patient health, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued multiple directives to simplify administrative burdens and assist with reimbursement during this crisis. Since […]
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2020 QPP Year 4 Updates
When QPP began on January 1, 2017, it brought significant change to the way providers were reimbursed for services provided to Medicare patients. In the past, the emphasis was on the number of services provided to a patient via fee-for-service. That meant that providers benefited from the number of services for the patients they treated, regardless […]
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NextGen EHR Quality Measures Dashboard Template
Quality Measure Status You Need When You Need to See It When an organization decides to participate in quality programs such as MIPS, Advanced APM, HEDIS, and UDS they need to develop a NextGen EHR quality strategy. Most of us, familiar with the NextGen EHR Adaptive Content Engine (formerly known as the KBM), know it does […]
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QPP Year 3 Reminders
For years, medical professionals were profoundly unhappy with the Medicare reimbursement program. The Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) program that proceeded QPP was based on the growth of the population eligible for Medicare and a small inflation increase. This system had serious flaws which had to be corrected by Congressional action each year, or providers would […]
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NextGen HQM: How it Can Elevate Your Clinical Practice
Practice leaders face often competing for demands from administrators and patients. Clinical outcomes are essential to the wellbeing of those who rely on superior healthcare; at the same time, bureaucratic efficiencies are fundamental to a sustainable, thriving institution. More and more doctors are turning to technological solutions to achieve that mix of superior health care […]