Posts Tagged ‘PQRI’

Coders and their providers can bone up on coding, regulation, compliance, and billing while earning continuing education units (CEUs) and continuing medical education (CMEs) at AAPC’s 2010 National Conference in Nashville, Tenn. on June 6–9.  This annual event draws thousands of attendees including doctors, medical coders, and office/practice managers to connect on the business side of health care.  This is the first conference to be approved for 15.75 CME (AMA PRA Category 1™) credits.

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A recent RAND Corporation study provides another incentive for physicians to implement electronic health care records (EHRs) — in addition to that really good one that mandates EHR meaningful use by 2014. According to the study, dedicated EHR use improves quality of care for patients and facilitates quality reporting for physicians. This, in turn, ensures eligible professionals (EPs) receive the full Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) incentive. An Ingenix survey, however, says many physicians remain skeptical that the benefits would outweigh the cost of implementing an EHR system. Read more »

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced, Oct. 30, final changes to 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) policies and payment rates. Taking into account all changes in the final rule, CMS projects a payment increase between 5 and 8 percent for health care professionals paid under the MPFS. That’s the good news …

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New guidance is available for electronic prescribing, or e-prescribing, and the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). A July 2 transmittal issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will help ensure your practice qualifies for the full 2 percent incentive payment (for each program).

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A proposed rule that addresses Part B payment policies paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) went on display today in the Federal Register. The proposed rule with comment period includes several policy changes intended to help offset a much-anticipated payment cut in 2010.

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released, July 1, Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) changes for the Calendar Year (CY) 2010. There are a number of proposed reporting options and reporting periods available. Some options require data submission by Dec. 31, 2010. Data reported through registries, however, is not due to CMS until 2011.

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Approximately 20 percent of Medicare beneficiaries discharged from a hospital were rehospitalized within 20 days, according to a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Have you had a chance to read the 2008 Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) yet? How about the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule? Come on, it’s only 513 pages! Well, if you’re short on time, you may want to read Transmittal 459, Change Request (CR) 6394. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the transmittal March 20 to provide an overview of the 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and E-prescribing Incentive Program.

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Providers should be aware that line items containing certain quality data codes (QDCs) on claims submitted during first quarter 2009 may be rejected or returned as unprocessed in error. You have the option of resubmitting affected claims.

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Physicians and non-physician practitioners (NPPs) who provide health care to people with Medicare can expect a pay hike next year, but just how much depends on their willingness to accept the conditions put forth in the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule. Read more »