Healthmonix Advisor

In the pursuit of value based care, interoperability is key. But is it achievable in the current healthcare landscape? And if not, what would we have to do to bridge that gap?

In a recent update on 2017 MIPS Performance Feedback, CMS announced that they have identified errors in their scoring logic. CMS wrote that their targeted review process “worked exactly as intended, as the incoming requests quickly alerted us to these issues and allowed us to take immediate action.”

CMS estimates that between the 2013 and 2015 performance years, accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) saved $954 million. But according to a new analysis from Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, commissioned by the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS), they actually saved $1.84 billion—almost twice as much.

The analysis also found that MSSP delivered net savings of $541.7 million for 2013-2015 after accounting for shared savings bonuses; this is in contrast to the CMS benchmark calculation, which found that the organizations increased Medicare spending by $344.2 million.

In a new proposal titled “Pathways to Success,” the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has laid out a modified set of participation options for ACOs (accountable care organizations) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). The proposed participation options would no longer include an “upside-only” risk model; instead, ACOs would be required to select one of two tracks, both of which ultimately include some downside risk.

Today, CMS posted CY 2019 Updates to the Quality Payment Program to the Federal Register. Many clinicians are still trying to wrap their heads around how to report MIPS in 2018, but the release of the 2019 proposed rule is advantageous in deciding what to conquer both this year and in the future.

Today, CMS posted CY 2019 Updates to the Quality Payment Program to the Federal Register. Many clinicians are still trying to wrap their heads around how to report MIPS in 2018, but the release of the 2019 proposed rule is advantageous in deciding what to conquer both this year and in the future.

Today, CMS posted CY 2019 Updates to the Quality Payment Program to the Federal Register. Many clinicians are still trying to wrap their heads around how to report MIPS in 2018, but the release of the 2019 proposed rule is advantageous in deciding what to conquer both this year and in the future. As the title suggests, this document also covers other Quality Payment Program tracks, like Advanced APMs; however, for now we will just focus on the MIPS component of the proposed rule.

In today’s quality-focused healthcare environment, patient satisfaction is commonly used as a metric for success—which means that it can affect your bottom line. But what if a patient becomes dissatisfied before the appointment even begins? Unfortunately, this happens daily in practices across the nation, as patients grow frustrated from long and unpredictable wait times.

Primaris and Healthmonix have joined forces to help healthcare providers meet and exceed new regulations that tie the quality of patient care to the payment for that care.

As we make our way through year two of the Quality Payment Program (QPP), it’s clearer than ever that simply reporting quality data is no longer enough. CMS penalties and incentives reach 5% in 2018, and in future years payment adjustments will continue to increase along with the percentage of patients you will be required to report on. Meeting quality standards and cutting costs are also increasingly important as measures are assessed against benchmarks and peers. Choosing the best reporting method for your practice is therefore an increasingly important step toward reporting efficiency and ultimately reporting success.