Recognizing the complexity of the MACRA legislation, the Association expressed appreciation that CMS considered a variety of comments from a diverse set of stakeholders in developing the proposed rule. In their detailed comments, they emphasize that some of the complexities in the proposed rule will lead to many significant changes and implications for eligible clinicians. EHRA urged CMS to take every possible step to dramatically simplify requirements in the final rule and to develop provider-focused communications to reduce complexity.
EHR Association Responds to CMS’ MACRA/MIPS Proposals
Posted by ewest123 on June 28, 2016
https://ehrablog.org/2016/06/28/ehr-association-responds-to-cms-macramips-proposals/
Briefing Congress on the Importance of Interoperability
On June 7, 2016, the EHR Association sponsored a briefing for Congressional staff engaged in crafting proposed legislation that addresses interoperability. EHRA member company, Allscripts, invited their client Stephen Nuckolls, CEO of Coastal Carolina Health Care (New Bern, North Carolina, U.S.A.), to participate as a panelist, along with four other healthcare provider organization executives. Their blog post shares some of his comments at the briefing, which covered successes and areas for improvement with health information technology.
Posted by ewest123 on June 28, 2016
https://ehrablog.org/2016/06/28/briefing-congress-on-the-importance-of-interoperability/
Data Re-Use – Usability, Patient Safety, and Organizational Policy
With the accelerated adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), there is growing recognition of the benefits associated with the use of these technologies – reduced medical errors, faster access to complete information, more efficient communications among busy clinicians, and increasing patient engagement in their healthcare decisions. At the same time, there is a dialog taking place among all stakeholders on the issues related to busy clinicians taking advantage of data re-use capabilities to avoid re-entering identical information as they create their encounter documentation.
The EHR Association strongly believes that data re-use tools are critically important for clinicians, provide clear benefit for patients and, when used appropriately, enable accurate legal and financial recording workflows for providers.
Posted by ewest123 on May 7, 2016
https://ehrablog.org/2016/05/07/data-re-use-usability-patient-safety-and-organizational-policy/
MACRA and Alternative Payment Models – What You Need to Know
When it comes to alternative payment models (APMs), organizations often ask “is it better to be a Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) Track 1 Accountable Care Organization (ACO) or a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH)?”
Typically, the answer depends on a few factors: organizational goals, level of readiness to adopt new delivery models, and the mix of public and private payer incentive programs.
Going forward, however, the newest factor that organizations must consider is how they want to be scored under the incentive programs created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) prepares to release the proposed rule for MACRA, the agency has made it clear that not all organizations participating in APMs will be considered “eligible” for purposes of the law’s APM incentive program. The statute requires that eligible APMs, those which qualify for the APM bonus payment, have the following characteristics:
Posted by ewest123 on February 10, 2016
https://ehrablog.org/2016/02/10/118/
New Certification Criteria for APMs–Is This the Right Approach?
CMS and ONC are considering tying the new Alternative Payment Models (APM) being designed per the MACRA legislation to prescriptive criteria for “use” of certified EHR technology, and considering development of new certification criteria specifically created for APMs. In doing so, do they risk going beyond congressional intent for the APM program and stifling innovation by imposing requirements on health IT beyond what is sought in the market, perhaps pursuing a strategy that may not be the best way to accomplish their end-goals – the rapid shift to value-based reimbursement and more integrated care?
Read “Health IT, Value-Based Payment, and Innovation: Let’s Get it Right” by Mark Segal, PhD (EHRA Chair Emeritus and Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs for GE Healthcare IT) on the GE blog page.
Posted by ewest123 on December 16, 2015
https://ehrablog.org/2015/12/16/new-certification-criteria-for-apms-is-this-the-right-approach/
Shaping the Substance of MACRA: EHRA Comments Set Foundations for Success
Few, if any, health care payment and delivery initiatives underway promise to have as much impact on the nation’s shift from volume to value-based reimbursements, holistic clinical delivery, and overall system sustainability as the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
By establishing distinct and relatively complex delivery and payment tracks – the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs) – programmatic vigilance and collaboration is needed by all healthcare stakeholders.
And with current and future healthcare information technology solutions a critical part of the equation – building upon similar public and private payer programs such as patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and accountable care organization (ACO) structures – the Electronic Health Record Association (EHRA) submitted detailed comments November 17 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to the agency’s MACRA request for information (RFI).
Posted by ewest123 on December 2, 2015
https://ehrablog.org/2015/12/02/shaping-the-substance-of-macra-ehra-comments-set-foundations-for-success/
EHRA Blog 