Category: CMS

Nearly 100 physician groups representing state and specialty medical societies have written a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding ICD-10 concerns that the groups say the agency has not addressed. Nearly 100 physician groups representing state and specialty medical societies have written a letter to the Centers for Medicare &…

Federal efforts to curb Medicare costs for unclogging blood vessels in the limbs slowed the growing use of the treatments, but also coincided with a marked increase in doctors using a more expensive approach, according to an analysis by Duke Medicine researchers. …read more Source:: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20150305/Duke-researchers-find-major-shift-in-treatments-for-peripheral-artery-disease.aspx       

Last week, the House Committee on Ways and Means approved a bill to exempt patient encounters that take place in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) from counting toward meaningful use requirements. There is currently no requirement that ambulatory surgery centers use electronic health records (EHRs) and no certification program has been authored by the Office of…

Top News Oregon and Oracle keep suing each other over the state’s health insurance exchange and its Medicaid system, but now Oracle takes things to another legal level as it files personal lawsuits against five staff and campaign organizers of former Governor John Kitzhaber, who Oracle warns may also find himself sued shortly. Oracle says…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three American adults has high cholesterol. For those struggling with high cholesterol, getting needed prescriptions and adhering to the prescribed treatment regimen is critical. …read more Source:: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20150228/Medicare-Part-D-adherence-can-help-save-patients-with-high-cholesterol.aspx       

By John Halamka As Meaningful Use winds down and incentive dollars are fully spent, what is the optimal role for ONC going forward? Some pundits have suggested that ONC step aside and return all aspects of HIT policy and technology to the private sector. Others have suggested top down command and control of HIT including…

I literally had almost 100 people forward me news articles about the CMS announcement pushing the Medicare Meaningful Use attestation and PQRS reporting deadlines to March 20. Although no specific reason was announced, possibilities include winter weather emergencies, the fear (or reality) of attestation site glitches, the complexity of preparing reports and audit documentation, and…

The American Medical Association (AMA) has announced that it supports Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)’ decision to extend the deadline for eligible providers to attest to meaningful use, but cconerns still remain. The American Medical Association (AMA) has announced that it supports Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)’ decision to extend the…

Of the approximately 1,500 test claims received by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) during ICD-10 testing week, 81 percent were accepted, CMS announced. Of the approximately 1,500 test claims received by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) during ICD-10 testing week, 81 percent were accepted, CMS announced. CMS says it…