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Special Update: Congress Passed One–Year SGR Fix as Part of Fiscal Cliff Legislation
Congress passed The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, to avert the “fiscal cliff.” President Obama is expected to sign the legislation shortly. In addition to various tax and spending measures, the legislation includes provisions of direct importance to medical group practices. The legislation: Prevents the Medicare physician payment SGR cut for one year. It…
AHRQ Report Finds Teamwork Key to Long- Term Sustainability of Health IT Systems
A new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) highlights the cumulative experiences of more than 100 grantees that implemented major health IT projects between 2004 and 2007. The report, Effective Teamwork and Sustainability in Health IT Implementation, reviews grantee experiences related to planning, long-term use, partnerships, vendor relationships, and end-user perceptions…
SGR Fix Hostage to Fiscal Cliff Debate
Physicians are scheduled to reSGR Fix Hostage to Fiscal Cliff Debateceive a 26.5 percent reduction in payments starting Jan. 1 unless Congress intervenes. Action to avert the cut is being considered as part of broader fiscal cliff negotiations on tax and spending policies. However, these discussions remain up in the air, creating uncertainty over the timing of a solution.
Takeaways From CMS’ FY 2012 Financial Report
Here a few highlights from Becker’s Hospital Review 10 Major Takeaways From CMS’ FY 2012 Financial Report–Click here to view the article in full. One of the most important organizations within the healthcare sector is CMS, and for obvious reasons. It is one of the largest healthcare payors in the world, and the federal agency…
ACOs Serve Nearly 10 Percent Of Americans
Almost 10 percent of U.S. patients receive their healthcare from an accountable care organization (ACO), and almost half live in areas served by at least one ACO, according to a new study from Oliver Wyman. This means that ACOs, little known in the United States as recently as two years ago, now have a substantial…
The Future of Meaningful Use and Beyond
At the 98th meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago on Nov. 26, 2012, Keith J. Dreyer, DO, PhD, vice chairman of radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, discussed the future of imaging informatics in the face of meaningful use. CMS’ meaningful…
How EHR – Enabled Staff Influence a Clinic’s Reputation
Below is an article from EHR Intelligence, outlining how author Robert Green believes EHR – enabled staff members can and do influence the reputations of clinics. A conversation I shared with the physicians and manager of a small pediatric clinic several years ago is still a timely example of how fundamental people and health IT…
HHS/CMS Announcement: PAYMENTS TO PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS INCREASE IN 2013
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the final rule implementing the part of the health care law that delivers higher payments to primary care physicians serving Medicaid beneficiaries.
CMS Releases 2014 Meaningful Use Quick Reference Grids
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released updated reference grids for Stage 1 and Stage 2 meaningful use requirements, detailing how meaningful use objectives align with EHR certification criteria. Each quick reference grid includes the meaningful use objectives and which group of physicians those objectives apply to, the core set and menu…