Volume 1 Ed. 6 | May 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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CMS Changes Name of the EHR Incentive Programs and Advancing Care Information to “Promoting Interoperability”
In an effort to promote and prioritize interoperability of health care data, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is overhauling and streamlining the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs for hospitals, as well as for the Advancing Care Information performance category of the
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)
, which is one track of the Quality Payment Program. This change will move the programs beyond the existing requirements of meaningful use to a new phase of certified EHR technology (CEHRT) measurement with an increased focus on interoperability and improving patient access to health information.
To better reflect this focus, effective immediately CMS is renaming:
- The EHR Incentive Programs to the Promoting Interoperability (PI) Programs for eligible hospitals, critical access hospitals, and Medicaid providers
- The MIPS Advancing Care Information performance category to the Promoting Interoperability performance category for MIPS eligible clinicians
This rebranding does not merge or combine the EHR Incentive Programs and MIPS.
In the coming weeks, CMS will be updating its websites and educational resources to reflect this change.
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Top Three Tips for 2018 MIPS Readiness
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1.
Check your 2018 MIPS participation status
here
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- CMS has decided not to mail letters notifying a clinician of his/her participation status.
- The only way to check your status is by using this NPI Look-Up Tool.
2.
Roll out your selected Improvement Activities and upgrade your EHR
- Using 2015 certified EHR technology (CEHRT) will earn a 10% bonus!
3.
Keep those EIDM accounts active. Set a reoccurring calendar reminder
for every 60 days.
- For information on how to register for an EIDM account refer this guide.
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Upcoming Learning Forum Friday Events
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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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Friday, June 8, 2018
1 p.m. ET
Let’s Talk Improvement
Activities
Learn to select appropriate Improvement Activities to score maximum points.
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Here's What Your Peers are Saying About Learning Forum Fridays:
— Always helpful when it comes to where to find reports, etc. Also, helpful to know how to
read benchmark measures.
— Since this is my first year it was all valuable!
— It was very detailed and easy to follow.
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Webinars and Updates
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I
s Your Information Up-to-Date in the Medicare
Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS)?
PECOS supports the Medicare Provider and Supplier enrollment process by allowing registered users to securely and electronically submit and manage Medicare enrollment information. In regard to the Quality Payment Program, CMS uses PECOS to pull the names of Clinicians associated with a Tax Identification Number (TIN) throughout the year.
If you have new clinicians or clinicians that are no longer with your practice, be sure to update your PECOS account today by visiting:
https://pecos.cms.hhs.gov
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Wednesday, May 2, 2018
4–5 p.m. ET
CMS Quality Measures:
How They Are Used And How You Can Be Involved
CMS, committed to improving quality, safety, accessibility, and affordability of healthcare for all, is offering this webinar that provides:
- An introduction to quality measures
- An overview of the measure development process
- How the public can get involved
- The new Meaningful Measures initiative.
CMS is looking for your feedback and participation in the quality measurement community.
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Upcoming Webinars for Small Practices
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Tuesday, May 15, 2018
11:00 a.m. ET
Succeeding in MIPS: Advice From Peers In Solo & Small Group Practices.
Strategies for choosing Quality measure and Improvement Activities that are aligned with your practice’s needs and how to effectively engage staff and other Clinicians in MIPS-related Activities.
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Thursday, May 17, 2018
3:30 p.m. ET
Succeeding in MIPS: Advice From Peers In Solo & Small Group Practices.
Strategies for choosing Quality measure and Improvement Activities that are aligned with your practice’s needs and how to effectively engage staff and other Clinicians in MIPS-related Activities.
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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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Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Noon to 1 p.m. ET
Quality Payment Program:
Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions Call
During this call, CMS will answer frequently asked questions about QPP from the 2018 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS18) Annual Conference & Exhibition and inquiries received by the QPP Service Center. The phone lines will then be opened to take live questions.
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Reducing Provider Burden: Send CMS Your Feedback
Medicare is simplifying claims documentation requirements so that you spend less time on paperwork, allowing you to focus more on your patients. Visit the Provider Compliance Group’s
Simplifying Documentation Requirements
and
Reducing Provider Burden
w
eb pages to learn about our recent initiatives, including:
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Quality Initiative Spotlight
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Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Noon to 1:30 p.m. ET
Evidence-Based Interventions to Help Patients Quit Tobacco
Join Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG) for an overview of the best practices for treating tobacco use by reviewing the biopsychosocial aspects of tobacco addiction, pharmacotherapy options, and systems changes to incorporate best practices for tobacco treatment into patient care. A discussion of how tobacco cessation helps to achieve Quality Payment Program goals will also be included.
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Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Noon to 1:30 p.m. ET
Managing Older Adults with Substance Use Disorders
The Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office
(MMCO) in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is dedicated to helping beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid have access to seamless, high-quality health care that includes the full range of covered services in both programs.Part of the Geriatric Competent Care series, this webinar describes Substance Use Disorder (SUD), how to diagnose SUD, and available treatment resources. Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Education (CE) credits may be available.
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P
atient Portal: Get it. Check it.
Use it.
About 8 in 10 individuals who used their online patient portal found it helpful and easy to understand. The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) created a guide to help patients through the process of getting their health record. The guide details show how to make sure records are accurate and complete — and how to use them to get the most out of their health care.
Did you know Providing Patient Access is a Promoting Interoperability measure under MIPS?
Download the guide below to learn more.
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HSAG QPP Service Center Feedback
Here's what your peers are saying about HSAG's technical assistance and educational support...
- Very helpful. Patiently assisted me through all of my questions.
- As of the last 1 1/2weeks that I have called every one of your staff have been exceptional, professional, knowledgeable and most of all "patience" with me. Your staff literally guided me every step of the way and very thorough. Your representatives did A GREAT JOB!!!! Thank You!!!
- I was so very pleasantly surprised at the competency and kind help received. A process which I dreaded and therefore avoided...was made so easy and painless...thank you.
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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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