Healthmonix Advisor

According to the proposed rule for 2019, use of 2015 Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) will be required in the 2019 performance year. Many EHRs have already become 2015 CEHRT or plan to do so before next year, but not all have.

If you are a clinician trying to stay compliant and meet MIPS reporting requirements, there are a few things you should keep in mind to make sure that this new change won’t negatively affect you.

Conferences are a reality of business life.  Whether this is your first conference or your 10th, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the exciting blend of travel, free meals, sessions, contacts, conversations, and business cards.  Truth be told, conferences are a great way to learn from experts in your field and an essential networking opportunity (yes, even for introverts!). As we prepare for the upcoming MGMA Conference, we want to share some tips and tricks for new and experienced conference attendees. From the pre- conference planning to the post- conference follow up, we're here to provide you with 10 tips and tricks to get the most out of your next conference.

You have been dealing with the bureaucracy behind quality reporting for years - silly questions with no relevance to your field or specialty, EMRs changing the way measures are recorded, CMS changing requirements during the reporting period. It’s hard enough to get your fingers around the changes as a manager or provider, but imagine the confusion on your staff’s side! Plus, they don’t have the incentive of financial responsibility or a reputation to uphold.

So, how do we get their buy-in?

I speak with a lot of different types of practices and healthcare organizations on a weekly basis, and so I get to learn about a lot of different challenges that organizations face in the shift towards value-based care and the adoption and implementation of Certified EHR Technology. Both are critical to maintaining a high level of quality of care and maximizing reimbursements from Medicare.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2019 Proposed Rule for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on July 12, 2018. The release of the 2019 proposed rule is advantageous in deciding what to conquer under the Quality Payment Program for both this year and in the future, which is why we published a series of posts summarizing the major proposed changes you should be aware of. But what if you have a suggestion that would improve the rule?

It’s that time of year again: CMS has released final QPP performance feedback for 2017, including final scores and payment adjustment information. Here at Healthmonix, we believe in turning data into outcomes, taking control of performance, and driving revenue through value-based payments—which is why, now that you have access to your feedback, we’re outlining a few important next steps your practice can take to use that feedback in a meaningful way.

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.

Clients may consider options outside of their EHR to report MIPS for a number of reasons. They may want to combine Quality data from multiple EHRs, or report on measures only supported by registries. They may need to report for a practice that is transitioning to a new EHR.

Healthmonix has worked with clients using over 200 different EHRs to successfully report for MIPS through MIPSPRO, and in that time we’ve identified a few steps that EHRs can take right now to help keep their clients satisfied and stress-free when it comes to external MIPS reporting.

Through my work with MIPSPRO, I’m given daily opportunities to watch people reporting from the outside looking in. As a result, I’ve uncovered a few truths in reporting that providers might not notice if they’ve only ever reported through their EHRs or Claims submission. Today I want to share some of those insights with you.

In 2018, CMS is pushing even harder for the shift toward value based care. The minimum MIPS reporting score has increased from 3/100 to 15/100, and failing to report results in an automatic 5% reimbursement penalty. But if your practice or organization isn’t in a position to invest the kind of time, money, and resources that it takes to really go all in on VBC, you might be wondering: “what’s the minimum I can do to avoid the penalty?”

There is no one answer to this question, but the good news is that your practice has several options for how to report to earn a score of at least 15/100.