Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Update for Colorado

The website and software for State Medicaid registration and attestation is undergoing “user acceptance testing” over the next two weeks. We will know by the end of February if it passes this internal testing phase and will be ready for production by March 5, 2012. Look for our blogs the first week of March with more information.

Remember to update your CMS EHR incentive registration soon if you plan on attesting for Medicaid. You can choose both Medicaid and Medicare if you are a CAH; our clinic providers should choose the incentive they believe they will qualify and attest to in 2012.

RHCs who plan on attesting for their Nurse Practitioners under Medicaid must have a State Medicaid (HCPF) participating ID number assigned. If you do not have these assigned for your Nurse Practitioners you will not be able to attest for them. If this is your situation we advise you to immediately apply for the appropriate Medicaid ID for your Nurse Practitioner(s).

CMS Webinar: Version 5010 – Where Are We Now?

DATE: March 6, 2012
TIME: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm MST

Please join the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Regional Offices for an informative webinar on Version 5010 for healthcare providers, clearing houses, vendors and others.

Version 5010 refers to the standards that HIPAA-covered entities must use when electronically conducting certain health care administrative transactions, such as claims, remittance, eligibility, and claims status requests and responses.

Health care organizations that submit transactions electronically are required to upgrade from Version 4010/4010A to Version 5010 transaction standards.

To be compliant, organizations must use Version 5010 to send and receive claims and all other HIPPA adopted electronic transactions starting January 1; however, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has implemented an enforcement discretionary period which is in effect now until March 31, 2012.

This event will allow you to learn more about:

• Current conversion statistics
• Top 10 concerns impacting the 5010 transition
• Status of current Version 5010 Standard System Maintainer fixes
• Top 10 Version 5010 edits
• Medicaid update
• Resources and contact information

To register go to http://registration.intercall.com/go/cms2

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces Major Progress in Doctors and Hospital Use of Health IT

On Fri Feb 17, US Department of Health and Human Services’ Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the number of hospitals using health information technology (IT) has more than doubled in the last two years. She also announced new data showing nearly 2000 hospitals and more than 41,000 doctors have received $3.1 billion in incentive payments for ensuring meaningful use of health IT, particularly certified Electronic Health Records (EHR).

The announcement details information from a new survey conducted by the American Hospital Association and reported by the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, which found that the percentage of US hospitals that had adopted EHRs has more than doubled from 16 to 35 percent between 2009 and 2011. Additionally, 85 percent of hospitals now report that by 2015 they intend to take advantage of the incentive payments made available through the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

To read the entire press release, click here.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

HHS Announces Intent to Delay ICD-10 Compliance Date

In a new press release from HHS, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that HHS will initiate a process to postpone the compliance date by which certain health entities have to comply with ICD-10.

As part of President Obama’s commitment to reducing regulatory burden, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen G. Sebelius today announced that HHS will initiate a process to postpone the date by which certain health care entities have to comply with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition diagnosis and procedure codes (ICD-10).

The final rule adopting ICD-10 as a standard was published in January 2009 and set a compliance date of October 1, 2013 – a delay of two years from the compliance date initially specified in the 2008 proposed rule. HHS will announce a new compliance date moving forward.

ICD-10 codes provide more robust and specific data that will help improve patient care and enable the exchange of our health care data with that of the rest of the world that has long been using ICD-10. Entities covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) will be required to use the ICD-10 diagnostic and procedure codes.

Please visit the ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare, and to download and share the implementation widget today!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Save the Date!! Version 5010 – Where Are We Now?

WHEN: March 6, 2012

WHO: Hosted by your Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Regional Office.

WHAT: Please join CMS staff for an informative webinar for healthcare providers, clearinghouses and vendors on Version 5010.

Version 5010 refers to the standards that HIPAA-covered entities (health plans, health care clearinghouses, and certain health care providers) must use when electronically conducting certain health care administrative transactions, such as claims, remittance, eligibility, and claims status requests and responses.

All covered entities should have been fully compliant with Version 5010 by January 1, 2012.

This webinar will cover:

• Current conversion statistics
• Top 10 concerns impacting the 5010 transition
• Status of current Version 5010 Standard System Maintainer fixes
• Top 10 Version 5010 edits
• Medicaid update
• Resources and contact information

Further details, including registration information will be posted here soon.

CMS has Added a New Webpage on CQMs to the EHR Website

CMS has created a new page of the EHR website dedicated to the clinical quality measures (CQMs) and their role in the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. The page intends to help providers better understand the purpose of CQMs and how to report on the measures.

The new CQM page of the website includes information on the following topics:

General program definitions, like “Reporting Period”
Eligible professional (EP) CQM reporting requirements
Eligible hospital and critical access hospital (CAH) CQM reporting requirements
Information on the CQM Pilot Program
Resources and additional information on CQMs

You can also find helpful CQM resources on the new page, including the Guide to CQMs and a webinar video that provides an overview of the measures.

Also be sure to review the CQM EP Reporting Table and the CQM Eligible Hospital and CAH Reporting Table. Each document lists the CQMs for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs for 2011-2012.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Webinar: Tips for Preventing Scope Creep and Cost Over Runs When Implementing a Health IT System

Friday, February 17, 2012 - 12:00-1:30 pm MST

This webinar focuses on how safety net providers can tackle cost over runs and scope creep during a health information technology (IT) implementation or upgrade. Leadership and project teams constantly struggle how to balance the competing demands of the project’s scope, schedule and cost. While, it is understood that scope creep should be avoided and deliverables should be clearly defined, it is common for health IT professionals to still struggle to find practical strategies to effectively plan and execute their implementation projects.

This webinar’s presenters come from healthcenter and critical access hospital backgrounds. The speakers presentations will focus on the following questions: What project management tools should you utilize to keep your project within costs and scope? How do you use workflow analysis to control costs and keep your implementation within scope? How do you involve staff and work with them in maintaining the project’s scope during implementation?

Presenters include:
· J. Brett Tracy, MHA, CPC. Research Director.
Community Health Centers of Arkansas, Inc.

· Mark Chustz, PhD, Chief Executive Officer
Greene County Hospital of Alabama

· Salliann Alborn, CEO.
Community Health Integrated Partnership of Maryland

Registration link: http://webcast.streamlogics.com/audience/index.asp?eventid=64657228

Please email questions or comments to HRSA’s Health IT mailbox at: healthit@hrsa.gov

Previous HRSA Health and Quality Webinars are available at: http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit