After having received over 300 comments on recommended modifications to the Stark law, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) decided to make major changes to the federal law. CMS Administrator Seema Verma announced part of the big improvement to the Stark law on Monday, stating that the CMS will a major part will [...]
Be Prepared for MACRA's Quality Payment Program Through Proactive Measures“Keep Calm, It’s Only MACRA.” - Amy Nguyen Howell, MD, MBA, FAAFP, CAPG’s Chief Medical OfficerIn preparation for MIPS in the upcoming transition 2017 transition year, CAPG healthcare expert Amy Nguyen Howell outlined four key ways in which eligible clinicians can achieve ongoing success under MIPS and move [...]
MACRA Seens as Costly and Complex, Causes Doubt by PhysiciansAs the final rule for MACRA is expected to emerge next month, physicians are concerned that the new payment rules will cause issues for them. According to findings from interviews with MedPage Today, physicians expressed their concerns that the new payment rule is limited and too complicated. Physicians [...]
In a report from InstaMed, 74% of providers have reported that they saw an increase in patient financial responsibility last year. This increase challenges both providers and payers to reexamine payment processes and to focus RCM strategies on patients and their financial responsibilities.In the 2016 open enrollment period, 12.7 million consumers chose a public or [...]
Protecting your healthcare revenue stream is important to ensure that your practice stays profitable and above water. With factors in the healthcare industry today such as an increased patient deductible amount, increased patient copay rates, and rising patient out-of-pocket expenses, it is crucial for healthcare providers to take the initiative to alleviate these issues that [...]
Keeping strong revenue cycle management practices is key for staying on top of the evolving healthcare environment. Incorporating technology into the mix is beneficial to providing more efficiency and effective communication between patients, doctors and payers.Optimizing your practice with these 6 revenue cycle management tips will keep your revenue cycle primed for steady reimbursement and [...]
Telemedicine has allowed for providers to effectively connect with their patients by phone, email and webcam, providing quickness and convenience on both sides of the health care experience. According to the American Telemedicine Association, more than 15 million Americans have received remote medical care in 2015. Patients can now send over vital stats, such as [...]
The number of primary care physicians in the nation is continuing to decrease, an issue that federally qualified health centers have typically faced, but has now become a greater burden. According to a report by The Association of American Medical Colleges, the shortage of primary care physicians is estimated to fall between 14,900 and 35,600 [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Wednesday a new quality payment plan called the Quality Payment Program, which is proposed to guide how the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) will pay physicians.The Quality Payment Program is expected to launch in 2019 and is currently not in its final stages. The [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced earlier this year that there will be a new release of star quality ratings for hospitals in the United States in an effort to assist consumers with selecting a provider. Amidst challenges from the industry regarding the effects of the new star ratings, the CMS has postponed [...]