May 16, 2018 | Uncategorized
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is targeting more than 60 million Americans with their new plan to provide rural communities quality and affordable healthcare options. nnCMS unveiled the Rural Health Strategy on Tuesday with the goal of helping millions of Americans across the United States obtain quality healthcare. “Through its implementation and our continued stakeholder engagement, this strategy will enhance the positive impacts CMS policies have on beneficiaries who live in rural areas,” said CMS Administrator, Seema Verma.nnCMS will look to raise state and local stakeholder engagement to make the agency’s policies more effective and curb the “unintended consequences of policy and program implementation” in those communities, the agency said.Through the new strategy, CMS is focused on accomplishing the five goals listed below:n
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- advance telehealth services
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- apply a “rural lens” to agency policies
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- improve access to care
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- empower rural patients to make healthcare decisions
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- and leverage partnerships to achieve these objectives
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nSome of the actions CMS plans to take to achieve these five goals are providing technical assistance to ensure providers participate in CMS programs, bolster health technology and infrastructure to improve patient access to health information, and assist state Medicaid agencies to advance rural health strategies to citizens in need.nnThis article was originally posted on healthleadersmedia.com
May 11, 2018 | Uncategorized
Welter Healthcare Partners is proud to announce our new partnership with HealthTeamWorks who is know for helping medical practices, physician organizations and integrated delivery networks (IDNs) improve their performance in delivering value-based services. As Welter Healthcare Partners shares a similar focus for helping improve the success of your business, we believe in the goal behind HealthTeamWorks as they are committed to improving quality measures in your team and organization.nnThe HistorynOur solutions have been developed drawing knowledge from our more than 20 years of experience working with health teams and our experienced staff with backgrounds and advanced degrees in healthcare and business.nnThe MissionnWith more than 20 years of healthcare transformation experience, our approach fosters sustainable improvement for organizations to succeed in today’s changing healthcare environment, which is becoming more regulated, expensive, and complicated to navigate. We enable our clients to achieve measurable improvements in healthcare delivery through deep client collaboration and a shared commitment to achieve improved patient care, lowered costs, workplace satisfaction, and healthier communities.nnThe VisionnThrough partnership and innovation, HealthTeamWorks is viewed as a nationally recognized leader at the forefront of healthcare transformation by providing exceptional high-quality solutions and services that are delivered by professionals who are passionate about their work and inspire our clients to transform the healthcare delivery system.nnClick here to learn more about the collaborative services that you will now have access to through our partnership with HealthTeamWorks.
May 4, 2018 | Uncategorized
Join Colorado Medical Group Management Association and Professional Association of Health Care Office Management for 2018 Payer Day! Hear what’s new from our insurance carriers and have your questions answered! Get the inside track to the latest information vital to your practice including health care reform plans, claims submissions and payments. This is an excellent opportunity to connect with your peers and meet insurance representatives face to face.nnDATEn05/17/2018nnTIMEn9:00 AM – 2:00 PMnnLOCATIONnCielo’s at Castle Pines, Castle Rockn485 W Happy Canyon Rd.nCastle Rock, CO 80108nnKEYNOTE SPEAKERnColorado’s newly appointed Insurance Commissioner, Michael Conwaynn[dt_default_button link=”http://www.cmgma.com/event-2843879″ button_alignment=”default” animation=”fadeIn” size=”small” default_btn_bg_color=”” bg_hover_color=”” text_color=”” text_hover_color=”” icon=”fa fa-chevron-circle-right” icon_align=”left”]Register Here[/dt_default_button]nn nnOriginal article and more information can be found on cmgma.com.
Apr 26, 2018 | Uncategorized
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Physicians complain that a “severe delay” in updating the CMS Quality Payment Program interactive website, and other eligibility notification breakdowns have left them “in the dark on their status.”nnThe American Medical Association and more than 40 physician specialty associations are calling for the federal government to reduce from one year to 90 days the reporting period for 2018 Merit-based Incentive Payment System.nnIn a
letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma, the physicians’ associations say the curtailed reporting period is needed because:n
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- CMS failed to provide timely notification on physician eligibility for the program
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- The agency’s “severe delay” in updating its Quality Payment Program interactive website means it won’t be ready this summer
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nThe physicians say that the modifications to the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act under the Bipartisan Budget Act exclude Medicare Part B drug costs from MIPS payment adjustments. Because of that, physicians cannot rely on any previous “historic” estimates to determine if they’re excluded under the low-volume threshold.nn”Thus, despite being held accountable for data tracking and collection as of January 1, 2018, physicians were not informed of basic eligibility information until early April to determine whether they must participate in the MIPS program,” the physicians told Verma.nn”Furthermore, in order to determine whether they are eligible for the MIPS program, a physician must actively go on to CMS’ website. Previously, CMS has mailed letters to practices to inform them of their eligibility status, which many practices were waiting on this year.”nn”Without direct outreach by CMS to physicians and group practices, many physicians will be left in the dark on their status,” the letter said.nnOriginal article posted on healthleadersmedia.com.nn
Apr 19, 2018 | Uncategorized
As online reviews become an increasingly popular way for patients to choose care providers, 82 percent of patients use online reviews to evaluate physicians and nearly half of patients (48 percent) would go out of their insurance network for a physician with better reviews, according to a Software Advice survey.nnTo determine how patients use online reviews for physicians, Software Advice surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. patients.nnHere are four survey findings:n
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- The majority (72 percent) of patients use online reviews as their first step in choosing a new physician, while 19 percent use online reviews to validate choosing a physician they have tentatively selected.
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- More than half (54 percent) of patients reported using reviews sites “often” or “sometimes,” while just over 25 percent of respondents use them “rarely.”
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- Only 7 percent of patients said they leave “very negative” or “somewhat negative” feedback on reviews sites, while a combined 52 percent of patients reported leaving “very positive” or “somewhat positive” feedback. Eleven percent of patients said they write “neutral” reviews.
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- Sixty-five percent of patients feel it is “very” or “moderately important” for physicians to respond to online reviews.
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nOriginal article posted on beckershospitalreview.com.
Apr 12, 2018 | Uncategorized
According to an article presented by Novitas Solutions, new Medicare cards will be mailed to qualifying patients, beginning April 2018. See below for complete article and schedule information.nnBeginning in April 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will mail new Medicare cards to all Medicare beneficiaries on a flow basis by geographic location and other factors.nnMailing Schedulen
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- April – June 2018nJurisdiction L – Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and the Washington D.C. Metro Area (Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia, the city of Alexandria, VA, the District of Columbia, and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland)
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- After June 2018nJurisdiction L – New Jersey, andnJurisdiction H – Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indian Health Service and Veterans Affairs
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nAdditional details on timing will be available as mailings progress.nnStarting in April 2018, beneficiaries can check the status of card mailings in their area on Medicare.gov.nn Transition PeriodnA transition period will begin no earlier than April 1, 2018 and run through Dec. 31, 2019. During the transition period, you can use either the new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) or the old Medicare Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN).nnStarting Jan. 1, 2020, you must use MBIs on claims regardless of the date of service.nnCMS Educational EffortsnTo prepare the health care industry for this change, CMS provided extensive outreach to the provider community and will continue to do so throughout the transition period. CMS holds regular Open Door Forum teleconferences to help you prepare your systems and business processes for a successful transition.nnCMS also initiated extensive education and outreach to Medicare beneficiaries and their agents to help them prepare and understand the change in Medicare cards and numbers. CMS produced flyers, posters, tear-offs and conference cards in multiple languages to assist providers when talking to their patients with Medicare about the new Medicare cards.nnFor the latest news and updates regarding the new Medicare cards, please visit the CMS’ New Medicare cards page on the CMS website.nnOur Educational EffortsnWe are committed to helping you and your Medicare patients successfully transition to the new Medicare card. We will continue to include important updates in our educational symposiums, webinars, face-to-face events, newsletters, and publications.nnFor upcoming educational opportunities, please visit our Education & Training Center (JH) (JL).nnFor more information, please review “New Medicare Cards and Numbers are coming – Beginning April 2018.”nnThis article and all information provided by novitas-solutions.com.
