Stage 2 of meaningful use has been delayed until 2014 for Medicare EHR Incentive Program participants. Current participants will have until 2014 to comply with Stage 2 requirements.
For more information:
USPTO Releases Fiscal Year 2011 Performance and Accountability Report
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Intellectual Property
The USPTO has released its fiscal year 2011 performance and accountability report:
http://www.uspto.gov/about/stratplan/ar/2011/USPTOFY2011PAR.pdf.
Are ACOs the Answer?
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
It may seem contradictory that Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) are championed as the new answer to manage more efficiently (i.e. improve quality and reduce costs) when the most popular form of ACOs, i.e. the Medicare Shared Savings Program, established in 2010 as a component of the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act has yet to…
OIG Suspicious of Marketing Arrangements
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Fraud - Stark
In OIG Advisory Opinion No. 11-17, the OIG has broadcast its suspicion of percentage based marketing arrangements.
The request seeks the OIG’s “no action” letter on a proposal by which a company will provide consulting and marketing services to physician practices. The services would be designed to review patients’ files and identify opportunities to provide allergy…
ONS Health Information Technology (HIT) Think Tank Meeting
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in HIPAA, HIT, and EHR
The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, hosted a two-day health IT think tank meeting. The first day featured national speakers from Epic Systems, Cerner Corporation, CCHIT, University of Colorado at Denver, Fletcher Allen Health Care, Cleveland Clinic Health System, Quality Insights of Pennsylvania, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Tucker Arensberg. The…
Physician Avoids HCQIA Presumption of Immunity
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Credentialing and Peer Review
The presumption of immunity granted by the Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA) in peer review disputes is always a significant hurdle for physicians. In Zawislak v. Memorial Hermann Hospital System (which some readers may recognize from the excess benefit and physician recruitment IRS issues involving the hospital in the late 1990s), the hospital suspended Dr.
CMS Releases Updated CQM Guidance for Eligible Professionals Participating in the EHR Incentive Programs
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in HIPAA, HIT, and EHR
CMS has released updated guidance on its clinical quality measure specifications for eligible professions in regard to stage 1 of meaningful use.
Link to CQM Guidance:
2012 PA MCARE Assessment = 23%
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Uncategorized
The Insurance Department has determined that the annual assessment to be levied for calendar year 2012 shall be 23% applied to the prevailing primary premium for each participating health care provider.
The total assessment cost for 2012 will be $203,824,513. This amount is $26,741,075 more than what was collected form the 2011 assessment to cover claims…
AMA Reports; Supercommittee Stalemate Leaves SGR 27.5 Physician Fee Schedule Decrease Intact
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
Supercommittee failure leaves 27 percent Medicare payment cut in place With the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction failing to reach agreement on a deficit-reduction proposal, physicians still face a 27 percent cut in Medicare physician payments scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. Congress has missed an opportunity to address the nation’s fiscal problems, stabilize…
90-Day Delay for Enforcing Compliance of HIPAA Transaction Standards
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in HIPAA, HIT, and EHR
CMS’ Office of E-Health Standards and Services ("OESS") has announced that it has delayed enforcement until March 31, 2012 for any HIPAA covered entity that is not in compliance with the ASC X12 Version 5010 (Version 5010), NCPDP Telecom D.0 (NCPDP D.0), and NCPDP Medicaid Subrogation 3.l0 (NCPDP 3.0) standards. However, the compliance date for…