Category: CMS

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its strategic vision for physician quality reporting programs, describing a long-term vision for CMS’ physician quality reporting programs and a future for these programs to strive toward over the next several years. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its strategic vision…

It was only a couple of weeks ago that I was lamenting a slow health IT news cycle. Now I’m up to my eyeballs in things I want to write about. The physician lounge is buzzing about the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, also called the “SGR bill” or “Doc Fix” bill.…

Catasys, Inc. and Health Alliance Medical Plans today announced a multi-year agreement to offer Catasys’ OnTrak Program to Health Alliance members in need in Illinois. OnTrak provides support and guidance to commercial, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage members struggling with both medical and behavioral conditions. …read more Source:: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20150422/Catasys-to-offer-OnTrak-Program-to-Health-Alliance-members-in-Illinois.aspx       

A study on the Medicare Pioneer Care Organizations (ACOs) showed that while the program achieved a savings of $118 million in its first year, adjustments are necessary for its success going going forward. A study on the Medicare Pioneer Care Organizations (ACOs) showed that while the program achieved a savings of $118 million in its…

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ 2016 inpatient and long-term care hospital policy and payment changes look to adjust the Meaningful Use program to further align it with its proposed rule implementing Stage 3, as well as other reporting programs. read more …read more Source:: http://www.fierceemr.com/story/proposed-ipps-rule-tweaks-meaningful-use-program/2015-04-20?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_campaign=rss       

More than half of all Medicare patients who have cataract surgery undergo unnecessary routine preoperative testing, despite strong evidence that these tests are usually not beneficial and increase national health care costs, reports a study published on April 16 in The New England Journal of Medicine. …read more Source:: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20150417/Many-Medicare-patients-undergo-unnecessary-routine-preoperative-tests-before-cataract-surgery.aspx       

Like restaurants, hotels, and movies, hospitals will be judged prominently on a star-rating system, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) latest announcement. Like restaurants, hotels, and movies, hospitals will be judged prominently on a star-rating system, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) latest announcement. CMS said that…

Bipartisan Senate ends flawed Medicare payment formula On Tuesday, Senate passed the SRG replacement bill that cleared the House last week, winning 92 – 8 bipartisan support. GE Healthcare: We’re leaving the hospital EMR business At HIMSS, GE Healthcare reportedly confirms rumors that it will phase out its Centricity EHR business line, but then later…

Industry stakeholders are overwhelmingly praising Congress for passing the Medicare Access and CHIP Authorization Act, which repealed the Sustainable Growth Rate formula for reimbursing physicians under Medicare. Industry stakeholders are overwhelmingly praising Congress for passing the Medicare Access and CHIP Authorization Act, which repealed the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula for reimbursing physicians under Medicare.…

The U.S. Senate’s passage of the so-called “SGR repeal legislation” will end the never-fully-implemented Sustainable Growth Rate formula for Medicare physician payment, and among other things, will introduce a new Merit-based Incentive Payment Program for MD reimbursement On Tuesday evening, April 14, the U.S. Senate passed legislation ending the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula whose…