IT Practice Consulting – Health IT Report –

January 2017

 

“DirectTrust Predicts Five Emerging Interoperability Trends for 2017”

 

Introduction

January 2017 brings the long-awaited implementation of the “Pick Your Pace” MACRA payment programs. Fortunately for medical providers and end users, the political turmoil of 2016 did not undercut  the continued efforts of healthcare industry giants to unify federal management of health information technology. Last November, at the crux of political uncertainty, the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) submitted its “2016 Report to Congress on Health IT Progress,” in an attempt to ascertain educated, bipartisan support for federal regulation of interoperable, data-sharing practices. Furthermore, DirectTrust – “a non-profit, competitively neutral, self-regulatory entity” that lobbies for accessibility of personal health information (PHI) – instructed the administration on the significance of “holding the gains” of recent health IT advancements in its recommendation letter presented in late December. Only a month later, DirectTrust President and CEO David C. Kibbe, MD, MBA has announced a personal, comprehensive evaluation of emerging interoperability trends in 2017, given anticipated medical reforms under the new administration.

Read the DirectTrust recommendation letter here: DirectTrust to Trump: Heed these 4 Pieces of EHR Interoperability Advice

 

Read the entire DirectTrust press release here: DirectTrust Outlines Five Health Information Technology Trends to Watch in 2017

“Efforts to repeal ACA and pass Medicare legislation will lead to months of uncertainty.”

If a Republican Congress can successfully repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), after years of promising its constituents a privatized healthcare reform, the future of Medicare and Medicaid incentive programs is an emerging dispute. Kibbe asserts that the ambiguous transition to “national Medicare legislation” will be characterized by the phrase “more questions than answers;” namely, DirectTrust anticipates that replacing the ACA will prompt months of inaction, or industrial paralysis, including “failures to invest in health IT infrastructure and innovation.” Overall, DirectTrust advises that hospitals and independent practitioners maintain appropriate levels of MACRA implementations for 2017, while remaining informed on developing legislation.

“Health IT economy will remain stable as industry continues to leverage health IT to improve care coordination and interoperability.”

The ONC’s “2016 Health Report to Congress on Health IT Progress” established the vital relationship between interoperable health IT standards and patient-care coordination, primarily through evolving methods of secure data-sharing. DirectTrust similarly recognized the continued importance of “holding the gains” for collaborative healthcare information systems in its list of health IT recommendations addressed to Trump’s administrative transition team. In his latest address, Kibbe predicts that interoperable essentialism will remain a pillar of medical legislation and, therefore, the transfer of Congressional control will not instigate any immediate changes to the healthcare industry or economy. According to Kibbe, “the themes of using health IT to improve care coordination, to manage patient populations through better collection and data use, and the value of advances in telemedicine, will continue to be heard and supported by both the private sector and the federal government in a bipartisan fashion.”

 

“Value-based payment and risk sharing arrangements will gain momentum.”

Despite assurances that Congress will continue to prioritize health IT and interoperable regulation in the upcoming years, DirectTrust recognizes that the reformation of the ACA, including its derivative legislatures, may lead to serious restructuring of MACRA payment programs.  Kibbe urges the medical community to expect a “gradual but steady increase in the momentum by which value-based payment and risk sharing arrangements influence policies aimed at EHRs,” as well as their provider organizations. DirectTrust reports that over 90 percent of hospital and 70 percent of independent providers have successfully adopted some form of EHR technology; Kibbe notes that this extensive EHR integration, together with the binding 21st Century Cures Bill, will protect the statutory integrity of MACRA for the foreseeable future.

“Security will finally become important to the health IT market.”

A recent torrent of hospital ransomware hacking – a faction of cyberterrorism that focuses on the illegal possession and peddling of confidential patient information – has forced the healthcare industry to acknowledge shortcomings in health IT security. Although DirectTrust failed to promote specific technological advancements, Kibbe remained positive that “issues of encryption, authentication to networks and identity management” would “finally” be prioritized in 2017 healthcare reform. Kibbe’s optimism appears warranted, given the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)’ recent $700 million funding of secure, publically accessible application program interface (API) tools in December 2016.

 

“Emergent health technologies will attract a lot of attention.”

Concurrent with the mounting investment in healthcare information security, DirectTrust predicts that the medical industry will soon face the “wild card” scenario of health information technology catering directly to patient possession of personal health data, not providers. “With emergent health technologies capable of aggregating personal health data from multiple providers, managing it for clinical guidance, and channeling big data under the control of patients,” Kibbe foresees momentous partnerships forming between medical organizations and technology giants: Microsoft, Google, IBM, etc.

 

Final Thoughts

While it may be impossible to definitively anticipate how the nation’s shifting political landscape will impact ongoing and impending healthcare legislation, DirectTrust’s press release ensures providers that 2017 will preserve MACRA payment programs and act as a transitional year for any imminent legal modifications. DirectTrust President and CEO David C. Kibbe, MD, MBA encourages medical professionals to remain educated and informed about Congress’ movement towards healthcare reform, while still maintaining federal standards for MACRA 2017 implementation. “We’ve made significant progress in the areas of increased electronic health records adoption and interoperability during the past four years,” Kibbe noted, in a statement. “Our hope is that the momentum established to this point will continue under the new administration.”

Now more than ever, the integrity of EHR security and adoption is crucial to the development of personal health information technology. Don’t allow political uncertainty to interfere with your practice’s successful completion of MACRA protocols or advancing interoperability – prepare for the future of health IT today by optimizing your EHR use and reporting.

 

The New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) assists thousands of provider organizations statewide in navigating the complexities of governmental incentive programs and federal regulations for health IT. Moreover, IT Practice Consulting offers decades of experience in auditing, executing, and improving EHR systems for qualified medical professionals, in order to support local providers and community health.

 

Contact ITPC today to optimize your organization’s current practices and prepare for its future.

 

IT Practice Consulting – Health IT Report – December 2016

“CMS Preparing for 2017 MACRA –

New Quality Reporting Tools”

Introduction – MACRA 2017

 

Following nearly two years of organizational development and controversy, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launches the next chapter of Quality Payment Programs on January 1, 2017, with its official implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). The reporting program, scheduled to return economic incentives by 2019, will effectively consolidate the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Physician Value-based Payment Modifier (VM), and the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program into two interoperable payment plans: Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs). Andy Slavitt, Acting Administrator of the CMS, announced MACRA’s “Pick Your Pace” initiative this September, in response to industry concerns about the significance of payment program transitions; medical practices that show sufficient efforts to test, run, or apply an advanced payment program in 2017 will begin accruing MACRA’s financial benefits. Furthermore, the CMS announced MACRA’s Final Rule in November – which highlighted qualifications for payment programs based on a practice’s size, nature, and scope – and asserted that the organization will collaborate closely with the medical community to “make the transition to MACRA as simple and as flexible as possible.” True to his word, Slavitt has already spearheaded the following financial and technological assistance programs to provide physicians support during MACRA’s inaugural year and guarantee the program’s optimal use.

 

Read more about MACRA “Pick Your Pace” here: CMS Introduces “Pick Your Pace” Update to 2017 Quality Payment Programs

 

Read the CMS Updated Final Rule here: Here are the MACRA Final Rule Changes You Need to Know

 

Practice Transformation Networks

Concerns over MACRA’s condensed timeline dominated health IT news in 2015, leading to the modified “Pick Your Pace” program options and the CMS’s intentionally flexible approach to its Final Rule. Small hospitals and practices, however, still face grave fiscal and logistical realities of reconciling current health IT systems to MACRA’s impending standards. Fortunately, the CMS recently announced its intention to directly facilitate successful payment program transitions, by allocating $700 million to fund transitional support organizations. CMS Director of Quality Measurements and Value-Based Incentives Group Kate Goodrich, MD asserts that, “these practice transformation networks are already recruiting physician practices from solo practices to large group practices across the country, to really start providing them that one-on-one, daily assistance to help them be successful in MIPS and ultimately transform to APMs.” According to Goodrich, the CMS has also cooperated with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to educate healthcare professional organizations and technology vendors to highlight the primary goals for MACRA, facilitating additional network resources.

 

Read more about the Practice Transformation Networks here: How’s CMS Helping Eligible Clinicians Prepare for MIPS?

 

CMS Releases New API

 

Efforts to bolster the medical community’s confidence in MACRA 2017 have primarily focused on conceptual modifications to reporting standards, in order to prioritize initial participation over the immediate realization of payment program improvements. As 2017 approaches, however, the CMS has invested in substantial assistance programs; primarily, the development of an innovative application program interface (API) tool that guides healthcare professionals in designing software for in Quality Payment Program reporting. The American College of Physicians commended the release of such potent health IT as “ongoing efforts to help equip physicians with tools and support needed to transform from volume-based, to value-based, patient-centered care.” Indeed, this accessible API, found on the CMS website,  intends to encourage interoperability through its efficient data formatting, organizational components, and ease of information sharing.

 

Read the CMS Press Release here: CMS Launches New Online Tool to make Quality Payment Program Easier for Clinicians

 

CMS Release Logic Flow

 

Finally, the CMS has concluded its transitional support initiatives with the promotion of its electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) Logic Flows for the 2017 MACRA reporting period. Logic Flows, compilations of eCQM specifications in 2017, are publically accessible to all health professionals and effectively navigate the complex standards of measuring quality patient care. According to a CMS representative, “the flows begin with the identification of the initial population (denominator) for the measure, and then outlines the measure’s quality action (numerator) as well as reasons why the measure’s numerator was not met.” Therefore, Logic Flows not only obtains secure reporting information for MACRA incentive programs, but improves clinicians’ abilities to document and resolve quality insufficiencies in their practices. While the CMS has stressed that Logic Flows are simple guidelines, not comprehensive instructions for the upcoming quality reporting standards, it highly suggests that any practice seeking additional resources for individual assessments participate in these procedures immediately.

 

Access the CMS Logic Flows here: Logic Flow Introduction and Resources

 

Final Thoughts

 

Preparing for a partial or full transition into a MACRA Quality Payment Program doesn’t have to ruin your new year. The CMS has guaranteed its full cooperation with the HHS and the medical community to evaluate and amend MACRA in the coming years. In this evolving landscape of patient-centered care and data-sharing capabilities, the most profitable practices are those who take advantage of the numerous support opportunities for successful MACRA application. Every year, the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) assists thousands of healthcare professionals in advancing their organizations through the application of state and federal incentive programs. Furthermore, IT Practice Consulting (ITPC) offers its professional expertise in navigating emerging APIs, conforming to federal standards, and optimizing your practice’s health information technology.

 

Contact ITPC today to ensure your practice’s full preparation for MACRA 2017.

 

IT Practice Consulting – Health IT Report – November 2016

 

 

“The Importance of Interoperability – 

2016 Report to Congress on Health IT Progress”

 

Introduction

The Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) addressed primary concerns for successful healthcare interoperability in its “2016 Report to Congress on Health IT Progress” this November. Interoperability – defined by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) as the “ability of health information systems to work together within and across organizational boundaries in order to advance the effective delivery of healthcare for individuals and communities” – has become a national dispute of security, privacy, and profitably within the medical community. While the ONC attests that nearly 96 percent of hospitals and 78 percent of physician offices currently utilize some form of certified electronic health technology, the report emphasizes the discrepancy between EHR adoption and application of information sharing.  According to the annual report, “many health IT developers, healthcare providers and hospitals still choose not to share electronic health information for a variety of reasons, including concerns around complying with HIPAA, competing technology priorities, or a belief that the interoperable flow of health information may jeopardize competitive advantages gained from maintaining exclusive access to patients’ electronic health information.” The ONC has therefore called on Congress for support in reforming federal incentive programs to reflect the associated benefits of interoperability on practitioners and patients alike. Suggested changes were designed by the ONC in a three-part improvement plan:

 

Read the ONC’s annual report here:

2016 Report to Congress on Health IT Progress: Examining the HITECH Era and the Future of Health IT

 

 

I. “Promoting Common, Federally Recognized Standards”

An ongoing obstacle for the successful implementation of interoperable systems into the medical community is an absence of collective, mandated standards. Without clear federal guidelines standardizing requirements for interoperability nationwide, medical practices will continue to employ ineffective information sharing strategies. Furthermore, the ONC reports that the benefits of standardization include “using data elements consistently and reliably to allow for collecting information for individual health needs,” as well as aiding healthcare communities with decision support modules, public health management, and medical research.

While the ONC report stressed the need for Congress’ further deliberation on the regulation of interoperable programs, it also highlighted current resources available for medical practices. The Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA), for instance, “provides the industry with a single list of the standards and implementation specifications that can fulfill specific clinical health information interoperability needs;” the 2017 Draft for ISA principles is already available for reviewing and comments on the HealthIT government website. The ONC is also promoting Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), which are Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that facilitate “seamless transmission of electronic health information from a health system to consumers or the app that the consumer chooses.” Focused on EHR-sharing through mobile phone apps and database clouds, FHIRs enable secure communications between patients, practitioners, and other healthcare providers.

 

View the upcoming ISA principles here: Draft 2017 Interoperability Standards Advisory

Read more on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources here:

FHIR and the Future of Interoperability

 

 

II. “Building the Business Case for Interoperability”

Another consideration regarding participation in interoperability is the perceived economic benefit of retaining exclusive rights to patient information over implementing data-sharing technologies. “While the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs have often been a primary motivator for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology among specific groups of clinicians, these programs alone are insufficient to overcome barriers to seamless information flow,” the ONC notes in its annual report. Fortunately, recent studies have confirmed that data-sharing activities between medical practices decrease extraneous costs for both patients and healthcare professionals. By reducing redundant testing and utilizing data-analytics to preempt accurate diagnoses, information sharing will ultimately financially benefit the entire medical industry.

As the ONC pushes Congress to amend the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act to include clear incentives for applied interoperability, it has launched various programs to support current efforts. For instance, the State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative provides “financial and technical support to states for the development and testing of state-led, multi-payer health care payment and service delivery models,” leading to overall decrease of costs for Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries. The ONC also introduced its Health IT Playbook, an online resource center that offers practical technical and workflow assistance to health care providers trying to optimize their health technology.

 

Access the ONC’s Health IT Playbook here: Health IT Playbook 2016

 

III. “Changing the Culture Around Access to Information”

Finally, the annual congressional report expressed serious concerns for the current climate of medical professionals’ apathetic, if not disparaging, views on the future of interoperability. ONC’s April 2015 Report to Congress on Health Information Blocking confirmed significant cases of information blocking and concluded that the practice “may become even more prevalent as electronic health information sharing increases.” Moreover, healthcare practitioners are not solely responsible for the deterrence of shared patient data. The ONC claims that, “some [health IT developers] consider the trend towards greater data liquidity as contrary to their individual business interests and will seek to retain control over electronic health information in ways that limit its exchange and use.”

Fortunately, the ONC has combatted intentional information blocking by “aggressively pursuing all available administrative avenues to help target and address [the issue],” while simultaneously educating patients on their personal data rights under HIPAA. The report lists these three primary legal protections under HIPAA:

1. Individuals can request their information in a form of their choosing and have it directly sent from the data holder to a third party – including another provider or a mobile app.
2. Entities providing records are limited in the fees that individuals can be charged for copies and must provide estimates up front. They also cannot charge a fee when the data is accessed through an EHR and provided electronically.
3. Per page fee charges do not apply when the individual is requesting a copy of information maintained electronically.

The ONC report states that the agency will continue to cooperate with the federal government and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to survey and abolish harmful information blocking practices. It also encourages current health IT users to evaluate any ongoing systems for the accuracy and legitimacy of their data-sharing policies.

 

Final Thoughts

According to the ONC’s annual report, “despite widespread progress in modernizing the U.S. health IT infrastructure, there is more work to do to achieve truly seamless and secure flow of electronic health information for all clinicians, hospitals, communities, and individuals.” Interoperability can significantly benefit quality patient care and increase the efficiency of medical practices, but only if it’s implemented correctly and collaboratively. If your practice wants to receive the financial advantages of EHR incentives and interoperable opportunities, it may be time to consider professional assistance in implementing health information technologies. The New York eHealth Collaborative has years of experiences in facilitating the most beneficial state and federal incentive programs for a diverse range of healthcare institutions. Certified in EHR implementation and optimization, IT Practice Consulting (ITPC) can ensure that your practice meets federal standards for information control and accessibility.  

Contact ITPC today to ensure your practice is ready for MACRA 2017 and its data-sharing policies.

IT Practice Consulting – Health IT Report – October 2016

“Department of Health Announces Final MACRA Rule, Incentive Program Adoption in 2017”

 

Introduction

 

After more than a year of logistical development, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) Quality Payment Program will see actualization as of January 2017. A largely controversial legislation, MACRA effectively repealed the systematically flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) valuation process and consolidated the comprehensive procedures of the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program and the Physician Quality Rating System (PQRS). MACRA initially garnered heavy criticism from the healthcare community, especially smaller medical practices, due to its monumental reorganization of incentive-based payment systems and restricted timeline. In early September, however, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) released a blog post amending payment standards for 2017 and offering “Pick Your Pace” incentives opportunities for hierarchal levels of MACRA participation. CMS also promised to analyze community feedback of “Pick Your Pace” implementation and to “release the final rule [of MACRA] by November 1, 2016.”

 

Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the finalization of the MACRA Quality Payment Program in an online press release. The statement cited Andy Slavitt, Acting Administrator of CMS, who called for modernization of the Medicare physician payment systems and stressed that the final rule was “designed to get all eligible clinicians to participate in the program, so they are set up for successful care delivery as the program matures.” According to an executive summary of the rule, the final modification details criteria for “physician-focused payment models” through MACRA’s two interrelated pathways: Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Eligible practitioners that successfully transition from fee-for-service payment plans to one of the alternative models will see performance-driven benefits as early as 2019, depending on the nature of healthcare services.

 

Read the Final Rule Press Release here: HHS Finalizes Streamline Medicare Payment Process

 

Read the Final Rule Executive Summary here: Department of Health and Human Services Final Rule Executive Summary

 

Option 1: Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs)

 

The final rule executive summary states that Advanced Alternative Payment Models provide additional incentives to clinical professionals who prioritize “high-quality and cost-efficient care.” Applicable to “a specific clinical condition, a care episode, or a population,” APMs reward clinicians that increase performance ratings and invest in patient support. According to the HHS press release, the first option allows for flexibility among participants by reducing existing requirements and providing “a flexible performance period, so that those who are ready can dive in immediately, but those who need more time can prepare for participation later in the year.” With an emphasis on frugal financial practices and a return to patient-centered treatment, including data-sharing and interoperability, the MACRA option for APMs incentivizes exceptional performance from clinical professionals.

 

Option 2: Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)

 

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System replaces three existing programs: Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Physician Value-based Payment Modifier (VM), and the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. Therefore, the final rule has summarized that MIPs will continue to reward practitioners that substantially impact patient care and quality ratings through the applications of health information technology. The press release states that this second approach to MACRA implementation also “helps clinicians go further by participating in organizations that get paid primarily for keeping people healthy.” MIPS is distinguished by evidence-based reporting of quality care improvements and incentives for successful incorporation of EHRs in medical practices.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts  

 

HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell expressed positive expectations for MACRA initiation in its earlier press release and emphasized the agency’s dedication to professional review during the upcoming transitional period: “Designed with input from thousands of clinicians and patients across the country, the new Quality Payment Program will strengthen our healthcare system for patients, clinicians and the American taxpayer.” The statement also ensured its stakeholders that “CMS is building the Quality Payment Program to evolve along with the health care system” by utilizing community feedback to continuously reevaluate the relevance of existing standards. Committed to transparency and equal support for a diverse range of healthcare organizations, MACRA can provide financial and operational benefits to practitioners who successfully establish contemporary patient care.

 

With less than three months before the MACRA inaugural deadline, your practice can still receive professional consultation on the most valuable application of a Quality Payment Program. The New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) has dedicated its services to support medical organizations statewide in adapting to the new incentive programs and navigating the concurrent federal regulations. IT Practice Consulting (ITPC) offers practical EHR implementation advice and provides analysis of existing health information technology to optimize the potential incentive benefits for its clients.       

 

Contact IT Practice Consulting before January 1, 2017 to take full advantage of MACRA Quality Payment Programs.

IT Practice Consulting – Health IT Report – September 2016

“CMS Introduces “Pick Your Pace” Update to 2017 Quality Payment Programs”

 

Introduction

 

Following nearly two years of escalating speculation and negative feedback from healthcare professionals, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt has announced a developmental breakthrough in Quality Payment Programs under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). In a CMS blog post, Slavitt addressed the medical community’s rising concerns about the incomplete nature of the reformed Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) and its imminent deadline: “In recognition of the wide diversity of physician practices, we intend for the Quality Payment Program to allow physicians to pick their pace of participation for the first performance period that begins January 1, 2017.” Slavitt also confirmed the release of MACRA’s final rule on November 1, 2016, with a promise for further evaluation of public responses to its integration procedures.

 

History of MACRA

 

Passed by Congress in 2015, MACRA repealed the conventional sustainable growth rate (SGR) process for updating the MPFS and proposed a binary annual reporting system: participation in either the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs). The complex reform of MIPS intends to consolidate and replace the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Physician Value-based Payment Modifier (VM), and the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. Furthermore, MIPS grants physicians the ability to choose appropriate quality care measurement and activities for their practices, allowing new flexibility in reporting methods and Medicare adjustments. APMs is an independent payment system utilized by a network of “advanced” Medicare and Medicaid practitioners; these businesses must provide sufficient evidence of interoperability, quality care improvements, and reduced costs. Similar to MIPS, practitioners receive positive economic adjustments under APMs for effective administration of certified EHR technology and annual reports of quality care measurements. The first Quality Payment Program reporting period starts on January 1, 2017, with impacts on physician payments beginning in 2019.

 

CMS’s recent announcement appeals directly to leading healthcare institutions nationwide, most of whom initially issued skeptical opinions on the success of MACRA implementation. Slavitt notes that the CMS considered feedback from its April proposal for implementing the Quality Payment Program, “both in writing and as we talked to thousands of physicians and other clinicians across the country.” The new development promises flexibility for MACRA integration, with four unique options to “pick your own pace.”

 

Read more on MACRA Payment Reforms here: CMS Proposes Implementation of MACRA Physician Payment Reforms

 

Option 1: Test the Quality Payment Program

 

Physicians that choose the first option only need to submit some data to the Quality Payment program during its first period, beginning January 1, 2017, to avoid negative payment adjustments. According to the CMS, “this first option is designed to ensure that your system is working and that you are prepared for broader participation in 2018 and 2019 as you learn more.”

 

Option 2: Participate for Part of the Calendar Year

 

If your practice is not prepared for full-participation on January 1, 2017, this option allows practitioners to “submit Quality Payment Program information for a reduced number of days.” Simply choose from the Quality Payment Program’s quality measures or improvement activities and report any substantial information for 2017 to receive a small positive adjustment.

 

Option 3: Participate for the Full Calendar Year

 

Practices that are sufficiently qualified to begin reporting on the January 1, 2017 deadline can choose to submit relevant information for the entire calendar year. Completing this option will result in a modest positive adjustment.

 

Option 4: Participate in an Advanced Alternative Payment Model in 2017

 

As an alternative to quality care reporting and other information sharing, your practice can benefit from the Quality Payment Program by initiating an Advanced Alternative Payment Model. Practices that receive high levels of Medicare patients or payments “qualify for a 5 percent incentive payment in 2019.”

 

Read the entire CMS blog post here: Plans for the Quality Payment Program in 2017: Pick Your Pace

 

Final Thoughts

 

With MACRA procedures frequently evolving and the participation deadline fast approaching, the time to prepare your practice for involvement in Quality Payment Programs is now. Optimal positive adjustments from MIPS or APMs rely on effectual EHR programs and concurrence with quality care standards. The New York eHealth Collaborative assists medical practitioners statewide in the selection of incentive programs and compliance with federal healthcare regulations. Likewise, IT Practice Consulting (ITPC) is a qualified facilitator of successful EHR implementation and practice optimization.

 

Contact ITPC today to “pick your pace” and take full advantage of the economic benefits of your health information technology.