Volume 1 Ed. 5 | April 2018
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Welcome to the QPP Quest!
Your knowledge hub during the
Quality Payment Program (QPP) journey.
The QPP Quest, brought to you by
Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG),
provides what you need to know now to prepare
and successfully participate in the QPP.
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n this issue, we will highlight key tips to prepare for MIPS in 2018, important updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS), the Medicare Learning Network (MLN), and helpful QPP tools and resources.
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Now Available—2018 MIPS Participation Status
Look up your status today!
View the updated CMS
MIPS Participation Lookup Tool
to check your 2018 eligibility for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) by entering your Individual National Provider Identifier (NPI).
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Top Three Tips for 2018 MIPS Readiness
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- If you submitted 2017 MIPS data, sign into your EIDM account to view your 2017 MIPS preliminary feedback report. Final feedback reports will be available Summer 2018.
- Check your 2018 MIPS participation status here.
- If you do not have an EIDM account click here for instructions to request an account.
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Upcoming Learning Forum Friday Events
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Friday, April 13, 2018
1 p.m. ET
Spring Into Action Using Your First Quarter Data
Focus on choosing the best measures and define problem areas that may need improvement.
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Friday, May 11, 2018
1 p.m. ET
Making Your EHR Work
for You
Learn strategies for maximizing the use of your Electronic Health Record (EHR).
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Here's What Your Peers are Saying About Learning Forum Fridays:
—
Very knowledgeable presenters, truly appreciate all the information provided. Thank you!
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Valuable information regarding 2018 changes and questions were answered promptly!
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Webinars and Updates
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What's New with Physician Compare?
Did you know your final score earned in the Quality Payment Program will be made public on CMS’ Physician Compare website? Click
here
t
o access the Physician Compare Initiative page or visit
www.medicare.gov/physiciancompare
.
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Thursday, April 30, 2018
Noon–1:30 p.m. ET
MIPS APMs to Advanced APMs:
How to Make the Valuable Transition
Subject matter experts from CMS will review the MIPS APM model and requirements for qualifying to become an advanced APM. Additionally, CMS will answer specific audience questions on the final rule for 2018 and provide information and resources relevant to the transition from MIPS APM to advanced APMs.
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Upcoming Webinars for Small Practices
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T
uesday, April 17, 2018
3:30 p.m. ET
Using Improvement Activities to Enhance Performance Scores
Learn
how to choose and leverage your improvement activities to enhance your overall performance score.
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Thursday, April 19, 2018
11 a.m. ET
Using Improvement Activities to Enhance Performance Scores
Learn how to choose and leverage your improvement activities to enhance your overall performance score.
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Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Updates
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Register Before June 30 for MIPS Group Web Interface and CAHPS for MIPS Survey Reporting for 2018
Registration is required for groups that intend to use the CMS Web Interface and/or administer the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS)
for MIPS survey 2018.
To learn more, visit the Quality Payment Program
website
.
The registration period is from
April 1, 2018 through June 30, 2018
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Quality Initiative Spotlight
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The Importance of Using
Teach-Back
Studies have shown that 40-80 percent of the medical information patients receive is forgotten immediately, and nearly half of the information retained is incorrect. One of the easiest ways to close the gap of communication between clinician and patient is to employ the “teach-back” method, also known as the “show-me” method or “closing the loop.”
HSAG has recently developed two health literacy resources that can support your MIPS Improvement Activity efforts.
See below for one example of an approved Improvement Activity:
- IA_BE_21 Improved Practices that Disseminate Appropriate Self-Management Materials
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Alcohol Misuse and Depression Screenings are Reimbursable
by Medicare
April is Alcohol Awareness Month.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism recommends that people over 65 should have no more than seven drinks a week, and no more than three drinks on any one day.
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)
covers alcohol
misuse screening & counseling. This is covered once per year for adults who
don't meet the medical criteria for alcohol dependency. It can also be reported as a Quality and Improvement Activity under MIPS.
Are you aware of MIPS measures related to alcohol misuse, screening, and counseling below?
- Quality Measure #431, Preventive Care and Screening: Unhealthy Alcohol Use: Screening & Brief Counseling
- IA-BMH_3 Unhealthy Alcohol Use
If your practice is interested in receiving
no-cost Quality Improvement coaching to improve alcohol misuse screenings,
contact the QPP Assistance Line
here
.
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N
ew Medicare Cards Are Coming!
This month CMS will begin mailing the new Medicare cards to beneficiaries. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (
MACRA) requires the removal of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from all Medicare cards.
To find updates and the most current details on the new Medicare card implementation, click
here
to access the CMS.gov provider web page dedicated to information regarding the new cards. For a quick reference, find the MLN fact sheet on the Transition to New Medicare Numbers and Cards
here
.
Share these two tips with your patients:
- Guard your Medicare Number and card. Only give your Medicare Number to doctors, pharmacists, other health care providers, your insurers, or people you trust to work with Medicare on your behalf.
- Hang up on fraudsters. If someone asks for your information, for money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits if you don’t share your personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Scammers may call your patients about their new Medicare card to trick them into sharing personal information. Let your patients know that
Medicare will never call them uninvited or ask them for personal or private information.
Learn more
here
.
Share a
video
about the new Medicare cards with your patients.
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HSAG QPP Service Center Feedback
Here's what your peers are saying about HSAG's technical assistance and educational support...
- Representative was EXCELLENT! Her knowledge base, and creative solutions when there was a problem with entering the correct response, she knew exactly what to do. I was very impressed.
- Your help and direction has been the best through this process..... THANK YOU!
- I was BEYOND impressed with the assistance I received from HSAG. What a wonderful organization! They answered all of my MANY questions. Having the friendly and knowledgeable representatives at HSAG really made it bearable. Thank you so much!
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Subscribe to Get the Information You Need
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Join HSAG's QPP Community Mailing List
Stay informed about all QPP updates, webinars and best practices by joining the
HSAG QPP Community Mailing List! Invite your colleagues and other medical staff to join, as well! To join, email
HSAGQPPSupport@hsag.com
. I
n the subject line, enter “Join the HSAG QPP Community Mailing List.” Please include your organization name, your first and last name, email address, city, and state in your email.
It’s important to be aware of all quality improvement and QPP reporting resources as
we navigate this new healthcare system driven by high-quality care at a low cost!
HSAG is pleased to support you in your QPP journey!
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CMS QPP Listserv
Don't forget to sign up on the
C
MS.gov QPP website
.
Once you've accessed the QPP page, scroll to
[Subscribe to Updates]
at the bottom of the page and insert your email address before clicking
[Subscribe]
. The QPP listserv is a valuable resource to stay informed of webinars and important QPP deadlines, especially now that the submission period has opened.
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This material was prepared by Health Services Advisory Group, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Arizona, California, Florida, Ohio, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. Publication No. QN-11SOW-D.1-04122018-01.
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