2011 Physician Quality Reporting System & Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program

National Provider Call and Webinar with Question & Answer Session



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Provider Communications Group will host a national provider conference call and webinar on the 2011 Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program. This toll-free call will take place from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., EST, on Tuesday, March 8, 2011.



The Physician Quality Reporting System is voluntary quality reporting program that provides an incentive payment to identified individual eligible professionals (EPs) and group practices who satisfactorily report data on quality measures for covered Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) services furnished to Medicare Part B Fee-For-Service (FFS) beneficiaries.



The Physician Quality Reporting System was first implemented in 2007 as a result of section 101 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA), and further expanded as a result of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (MMSEA), and the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA).



The eRx Incentive Program is an incentive program for eligible professionals initially implemented in 2009 as a result of section 132(b) of the MIPPA. The eRx Incentive Program promotes the adoption and use of eRx systems by individual eligible professionals and group practices.



Following the formal presentation that will cover the following:



· Measure Reporting; and

· How to Get Started --Participating in the 2011 Physician Quality Reporting System and 2011 Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program (eRx).



The lines will be opened to allow participants to ask questions of CMS Physician Quality Reporting System and eRx subject matter experts.

A PowerPoint slide presentation will be posted to the Physician Quality Reporting System webpage at, http://www.cms.gov/PQRI/04_CMSSponsoredCalls.asp on the CMS website for you to download prior to the call so that you can follow along with the presenter.



Educational products are available on the Physician Quality Reporting System dedicated web page located at, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI , on the CMS website, in the Educational Resources section, as well as educational products are available on the eRx Incentive Program dedicated web page located at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ERxIncentive on the CMS website. Feel free to download the resources prior to the call so that you may ask questions of the CMS presenters.



Conference call details:



Date: March 8, 2011



Conference Title: Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) & Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program National Provider Call



Time: 1:30 p.m. EST



In order to receive the call-in information, you must register for the call. It is important to note that if you are planning to sit in with a group, only one person needs to register to receive the call-in data. This registration is solely to reserve a phone line, NOT to allow participation.

Registration will close at 1:30 p.m. EST on March 7, 2011, or when available space has been filled. No exceptions will be made, so please be sure to register prior to this time.



To register for the call participants need to go to:
http://www.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/030811



Fill in all required data.


Verify that your time zone is displayed correctly in the drop down box.


Click "Register".


You will be taken to the “Thank you for registering” page and will receive a confirmation email shortly thereafter. Note: Please print and save this page, in the event that your server blocks the confirmation emails. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check your spam/junk mail filter as it may have been directed there.


6. CMS added a webinar as part of this national conference call. This feature will allow participants who are on the Internet the ability to follow the presentation online as it is given. This will not have any effect on those participants who are only dialing in to the audio portion of the call.



Please note participants who are not signed into the webinar should download the presentation from the CMS website. CMS would like to thank those of you who will participate in this feature.



To access Adobe Connect Pro Webinar: please use the following URL: https://webinar.CMS.hhs.gov/PQRSandERX– Instructions: Sign in as a “Guest” when prompted – please enter your first and last name.



Please dial in for the call first and then go to Adobe Connect Pro.



If assistance for hearing impaired services is needed the request must be sent to medicare.ttt@palmettogba.com no later than 3 business day before the event.



For those of who will be unable to attend, a transcript and MP3 file of the call will be available at least one week after the call at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/pqri on the CMS website.

NYC DOH PCIP/NYC REACH PCMH/Meaningful Use Webinars

Weekly in February 2011, 10 AM-11 AM, EST


Together we will explore:
Healthcare challenges facing physicians
Benefits of EHR
The path to EHR EHR/EMR
Implementation Thoughts & Considerations.
Patient Centered Medical Home
Federal Incentives under ARRA
Meaningful use

This is now a weekly series of events.

Registration is required. Upon registration, you will receive an email with code need to join.

Dial In Code: 888-622-5357
Participant Code: 586020

February 18th Link

February 25th Link

ONC Direct Project Collaboration Pilots

Let's hear it for NY'S MedAllies!

Seven pilots in total . sv

MedAllies has been tapped to be part of a national effort to fast track electronic information exchange, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT announced at the launch of the Direct Project. The Hudson Valley has been selected as one of seven pilot sites to go live in 2011, and MedAllies was specifically mentioned during a Feb. 2 White House press conference announcing the program. Direct Project, a public/private collaborative, is an effort is to find a simple, secure, scalable, standards-based way for participants to send authenticated, encrypted health information via the Internet. That capability supports Meaningful Use requirements. MedAllies anticipates providing a national network capable of supporting interoperability of all physicians using certified EHR systems by the end of 2011. It will demonstrate the technological capabilities at HIMSS next week. "This is an important milestone in our journey to achieve secure health information exchange, and it means that health care providers large and small will have an early option for electronic exchange of information supporting their most basic and frequently needed uses," said Dr. David Blumenthal, ONC chief

Northrop Grumman Introduces National Health Data Repository for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records Incentive Programs

MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 11, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has launched the National Level Repository (NLR) in support of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) initiation of registration by eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Programs. The system was completed on schedule and made available to the public on Jan. 3, 2011, the date when registration for the Medicare EHR Incentive Programs and some Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs became available.

Norman Regional Health System’s Dr. Cynthia Taylor First in Nation to Receive Check for Meaningful Use

WESTBOROUGH, Mass.—January 24, 2011—eClinicalWorks®, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, today announced that Oklahoma’s Dr. Cynthia Taylor, affiliated with Norman Regional Health System, is the first in the country to receive a reimbursement check from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for demonstrating “meaningful use” of an electronic medical records system. An eClinicalWorks customer since February 2008, Dr. Taylor received a ceremonial check for $21,250 in her office from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.

Aetna Medicity Acquistion

As predicted in August 2010, another insurance carrier has purchased a Health Information Exchange provider.

Will the Blues make the next move? SV

NYC REACH, Regional Extension Center, invitation to ONC-ATCB EHR systems

NYC REACH, the Regional Extension Center for New York City, would like to invite EHR vendors with certified ONC-ATCB complete EHR systems to attend one of three meetings we are hosting to understand how we could work together. We are interested in learning how our federally subsidized program could augment the services you provide to your customers, what co-development you would like to do with us, and how we could partner with you. We've heard from many of you that you would like us to find a way to collaborate with a wider pool of EHR vendors, particularly those vendors who were not selected during our preferred vendor process last year, and we are excited to hear from you how we could do that.



To that end, we invite you to register for & attend one of the following
3 sessions:

Feb 23, 2011 from 10 AM to 12 PM

Feb 25, 2011 from 11 AM to 1 PM

Mar 4, 2011 from 11 AM to 1 PM

Please register online at http://www.RECvendor.eventbrite.com

All meetings will be held at the PCIP/NYC REACH offices at 161 William Street, 6th floor conference room, in New York City. No more than 2 representatives from any EMR vendor organization may attend as space is limited. You must register in order to attend as you will need to be cleared by building security. Again, only vendors with complete ONC-ATCB certified are invited at this time.

NY County Medical Society Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) Presentation

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs): What They Are, What They Are Not and What They May Be

Monday, February 28, 2011, 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Hospital for Special Surgery (Conference Room C), 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY

The ACO, authorized by the 2010 healthcare reform act, is a new provider configuration the government thinks may have great potential - to boost quality, help cut costs and put physicians in a key decision-making role. Big savings and bonuses may be possible for ACOs. But will physicians control ACOs - or will control be taken over by the hospitals? What should physicians be doing right now?
With presentations by Kern Augustine attorney Donald Moy (who's also Counsel to MSSNY) and ACO expert Marion Davis - followed by a panel discussion with NYCMS physician leaders Scot Glasberg MD and Michael Goldstein MD, and NYCMS counsel Scott Einiger.
The ACO will take global responsibility for the care of a specific group of Medicare patients, all the way from initial office visits through hospital stays.
- Will the old problems of capitation creep in again?
- Will shared savings and bonuses actually materialize - now that Congress is talking about dismantling parts of the healthcare reform law?
- Will all Medicare beneficiaries be routed into ACOs? What will happen to primary care physicians who aren't part of ACOs?
- Are clinical guidelines well enough developed? And are physicians ready to collaborate on this level?
- Huge, powerful IT systems will be needed. Can the physician-run ACO afford to buy and maintain those systems? (Remember: Hospitals have cheaper access to capital.)
- The physician-run ACO will be a network, with primary care physicians in decision-making roles. The goal: To minimize unnecessary specialty care. What will happen to specialists?
- What will the insurers do? Will they all switch over to the new ACO-oriented payment model at the same time?
- What if the public blames physicians for withholding or rationing care?
- Should physicians rush to form and join ACOs? What might be some pitfalls?

Be sure to join us for this discussion! Sign up as soon as possible: "Accountable Care Organizations: What They Are, What They Are Not, and What They May Be," in Conference Room C, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th, New York, NY, on Monday, February 28, 2010. Registration 5:30 p.m.; program 6:00 p.m.

Register by calling Lisa Joseph at 212-684-4670, ext. 222, or e-mailing ljoseph@nycms.org

Dr. Farzad Mostashari Discusses How to Implement Health IT

Only 2 WEEKS Left to Save $300!

Healthcare Informatics Executive Summit

Thursday, May 12, 2011 | 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

P01 - Opening Keynote Presentation:
Implementing Health IT: The Meaningful Use Regulation and Beyond



Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM , Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy Office, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Dr. Farzad Mostashari, Senior Advisor in the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, will update attendees on the latest developments in the ongoing evolution of meaningful-use requirements under the HITECH Act, and will address questions and concerns from the audience.

NYeC Electronic Health Records and Meaningful Use Summit Series 2011

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS FOR:

* . Practices still using paper records
* . Practices with EHRs wanting to qualify for Meaningful Use and federal reimbursements

DATES AND LOCATIONS:

* Thursday, March 31 Troy, Hilton Garden Inn
* Thursday, April 28 Syracuse, The Genesee Grande
* Friday, April 29 Johnson City, Traditions At The Glen
* Wednesday, May 11 Fairport, Woodcliff Hotel & Spa
* Thursday, May 12 Buffalo, Hyatt Regency
* Thursday, June 16 Farmingdale, Carlyle On The Green
* Friday, June 17 West Point, The Thayer Hotel

WHY YOU SHOULD COME:

LEARN how electronic health records improve your practice and patient care and reduce costs

RECEIVE information on how to reach Meaningful Use and receive federal reimbursements

OBTAIN exclusive access to vendors for new products and the latest technologies

LISTEN to expert speakers

NETWORK with peers

JOIN the NYeC EHR adoption program and get discounted pricing for EHR systems and consulting services

REGISTER

www.nyehealth.org
Use Discount Code: NYEC1

NCQA's Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) 2011 Released

The biggest changes reflect a more patient-centric point of view based upon feedback as well as the inclusion of Meaningful Use language. In the end, a Patient Centered Medical Home should Meaningfully Use Health Information Technology. SV

On January 31, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) released new standards for its Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program. The revised standards call on medical practices to be more patient-centered and reinforce federal "meaningful use" incentives for primary care practices to adopt health information technology.



NCQA's PCMH 2011 program provides a roadmap for practices to improve delivery and the experience of care for both clinicians and patients. The PCMH 2011 standards offer guidance on developing better chronic care management programs, enhancing patient engagement and improving patient outreach. They are focused on evidence-based requirements to improve quality and reduce costs and encourage practices to adopt proven systems for improving care.



More information on the revised standards can be found here.

NYC REACH Meaningful Use Seminar on February 17 in Manhattan

Members of NYC REACH are invited to attend the Meaningful Use Overview Seminar on Thursday, February 17 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at 161 William Street in Manhattan. For more information and to register, please visit: http://museminar.eventbrite.com/.


Physicians in New York City now have two options to become members:


Full membership: For $600 per year, primary care providers will receive discounts on preferred EHRs and on-site training at their practice to learn how to use the system.

Limited membership: Any NYC physician can join as a limited member for no fee and pay $50 per person to attend a Meaningful Use Seminar to learn about the incentive program for EHR users.

MSSNY Hosts Educational Programs Statewide on EHR Incentive

A series of six educational programs, entitled What Doctors and Office Managers Need to Know to Collect Available Money from Incentive Programs in 201,1 will be offered across the state in February. These programs will provide much needed information to physicians and their office staff on “meaningful use” and the federal incentive programs. Physicians will learn the necessary information to incorporate technology into their practices, learn how to access available funding for the transition. Physicians will also with MSSNY-vetted EHR vendors. The agenda will allow participants to view EHR vendor demonstrations and talk with experts on available incentives.



Tuesday, February 8: Melville Huntington Hilton
Wednesday, February 9: New York City NY Academy of Medicine
Thursday, February 10: Albany Marriott on Wolf Road
Tuesday, February 15: Syracuse Doubletree Inn at Carrier Circle
Wednesday, February 16: Rochester RIT Conference Center
Thursday, February 17: Buffalo Adam's MarkHotel


For more information, times and agenda, please click here.

HIMSS ACO Webinar Series

HIMSS launches a new webinar series with tomorrow's
webinar on accountable care:


Accountable Care Organizations:
An Introduction to the Impact on Health IT

Wednesday, January 19
10:00 am Pacific | 11:00 am Mountain | 12:00 pm Central | 1:00 pm Eastern

Featuring:


Randy Thomas, FHIMSS
Vice President, Integrated Product Strategy & Planning
Premier healthcare alliance



Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) facilitate coordination and cooperation among providers to improve the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries and reduce unnecessary costs. ACOs have dramatic implications – on how providers will be assessed and paid, as well as on the strategic and structural ramifications for providers. Join Randy Thomas as she provides an overview of ACOs and their impact on Health IT.

Register today!
FREE for HIMSS members $79.00 for non-members.
Not a HIMSS member? Join today to take advantage of all the great member benefits, including registration fee discounts!

First Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Payments Issued


Registration opened on Mon Jan 3 for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, and Medicaid payments have already been issued by two states!



On Wed Jan 5, the first payments under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program were issued by Oklahoma and Kentucky. Kentucky processed payment to the University of Kentucky’s teaching hospital, University of Kentucky Healthcare. The first payment, for $2.86-million, was one-third of the hospital’s overall expected amount for participating in the program.



Oklahoma issued payments to two physicians at the Gastorf Family Clinic of Durant for $21,250 each, for having adopted certified EHRs. These incentive payments for the adoption of certified EHR technology are federally-funded under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.



For additional information on the these actions by Oklahoma and Kentucky, please visit their websites at http://www.okhca.org/EHR-incentive and http://chfs.ky.gov/dms/EHR.htm. For more information on the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records Incentive Programs, please visit CMS’s EHR website at http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms.

National Provider Teleconference on Preparing for ICD-10 Implementation in 2011

Wed Jan 12, 1-3pm EST



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a national provider teleconference on “Preparing for ICD-10 Implementation in 2011.” Subject matter experts will review basic information on the transition to ICD-10 and discuss implementation planning and preparation strategies for this year. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentations.



Target Audience: Medical coders, physician office staff, provider billing staff, health records staff, vendors, educators, system maintainers, and all Medicare fee-for-service providers



The following topics will be discussed:

Planning for transition to ICD-10 – “A call to action”
ICD-10 implementation for services provided on and after Tue Oct 1, 2013 – No grace periods or delays
§ Date of service implementation requirements

§ Tools for converting codes – 2011 General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs)

§ Partial freeze of ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 code updates, except for new technologies and diseases

§ Use of unspecified codes in both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10

§ Updating payment and coverage policies for ICD-10

§ Differences between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10

§ Internal planning groups and organizational strategies

§ Awareness, educational strategies, and assessing training needs

§ Implementation plan development and impact assessment

§ Determining vendor readiness

§ Coding gap analysis – What needs to be done for your coding staff

§ Assessing quality of medical record documentation

§ Developing an ICD-10 budget

§ Consequences of poor preparation



Registration will close at 1pm EST on Tue Jan 11 or when available space has been filled; no exceptions will be made, so please register early. For more information and to register for this informative session, please visit

Medicare/Medicaid Electronic health records incentives registration starts Jan. 3, 2011

CMS, ONC Outline Resources to Assist Eligible Providers


Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced the availability of registration for the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs. CMS and ONC encouraged broad participation and outlined online and in-person resources that are in place to assist eligible professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate.

Beginning Jan. 3, 2011, registration will be available for eligible health care professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate in the Medicare EHR incentive program. On January 3, registration in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program will also be available in Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In February, registration will open in California, Missouri, and North Dakota. Other states likely will launch their Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs during the spring and summer of 2011.

“It’s time to get connected,” said David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. “ONC and CMS have worked together over many months to prepare for the startup on January 3rd. ONC’s Certified HIT Product List includes more than 130 certified EHR systems or modules and is updated frequently. ONC also has hands-on assistance available across the country through 62 Regional Extension Centers
We look forward to continuing to work with CMS to assist eligible providers in 2011 and future years.”

Eligible professionals and eligible hospitals must register in order to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs. They can do so, starting Jan. 3, 2011, at a registration site maintained by CMS.

To prepare for registration, interested providers should first familiarize themselves with the incentive programs’ requirements by visiting CMS’ Official Web Site for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. The site provides general and detailed information on the programs, including tabs on the path to payment, eligibility, meaningful use, certified EHR technology, and frequently asked questions.

For more information please read CMS press release issued today (12/22): https://www.cms.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=3887&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=1%2C+2%2C+3%2C+4%2C+5&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date

CMS PQRI Town Hall February 9, 2011

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a Town Hall Meeting on February 9, 2011, from 10 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.to discuss the Physician Quality Reporting System (formerly known as the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, or PQRI). The purpose of the Town Hall Meeting is to solicit input from participating stakeholders on individual quality measures and measures groups being considered for possible inclusion in the proposed set of quality measures for use in the 2012 Physician Quality Reporting System and key components of the design of the Physician Quality Reporting System. The opinions and alternatives provided during this meeting will assist CMS develop the Physician Quality Reporting System for 2012.

Interested parties are invited to participate, either onsite at CMS headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, or via teleconference. The meeting is open to the public; however attendance is limited to space and teleconference lines available.

CMS anticipates posting an audio download and/or transcript of the Town Hall meeting on the CMS Web site, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI, on the CMS website and http://www.usqualitymeasures.org, on the internet following the meeting.


The Town Hall Meeting will be held on February 9, 2011, from 10 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T.) in the main auditorium of the Central Building of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244–1850.


Meeting Registration and Request for Special Accommodations Deadline:


Registration opens on Monday, December 20, 2010. For security reasons, registration and requests for special accommodations must be completed no later than 5 p.m. E.S.T. on Friday, January 28, 2011.


Anyone interested in attending the meeting or participating by teleconference must register by completing the online registration at http://www.usqualitymeasures.org on the internet.

For more information, please see the Federal Register meeting notice posted at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-31301.pdf on the internet.

To learn more about the 2012 Physician Quality Reporting System Call for Measures, please visit http://www.cms.gov/MMS/13_CallForMeasures.asp#TopOfPage on the CMS website.

NCQA Recognition Programs and the Medicare (CMS) Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designated three NCQA Recognition Programs as registries for quality reporting for the purposes of the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). Providers participating in Medicare's PQRI program receive financial rewards for collecting and reporting practice data about the quality of their care as well as being recognized for their superb care. In 2010, the reward is equal to 2 percent of total allowed Medicare Part B charges for services furnished during 2010.

Clinicians, who have earned Recognition from NCQA through the Diabetes Recognition Program (DRP), the Heart Stroke Recogniton Program (HSRP) or the Back Pain Recognition Program (BPRP), can have NCQA submit their clinical quality data to CMS. To qualify, Recognized clinicians must submit their PQRI qualifying data to NCQA by December 31, 2010.

NCQA is also providing clinicians who are currently applying for or
considering applying for NCQA's DRP, HSRP or BPRP program with submission of their qualifying data to 2010 PQRI registry as an added feature to the Recognition Process.


Make the Most of Your NCQA Recognition!

• For more information about NCQA's PQRI Program,
visit www.ncqa.org/Recognition

• For more information about DRP,
visit www.ncqa.org/drp

• For more information about HSRP,
visit www.ncqa.org/hsrp

• For more information about BPRP,
visit http://www.ncqa.org/bprp



For more information, including instructions and frequently asked questions, visit NCQA at www.ncqa.org/Recognition

CMS eRX/ePrescribing:How to avoid the penalty in 2012

2011 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program Update

In November, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that, beginning in 2012, eligible professionals who are not successful electronic prescribers may be subject to a payment adjustment on their Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) covered professional services. Section 132 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) authorizes CMS to apply this payment adjustment whether or not the eligible professional is planning to participate in the eRx Incentive Program.

From 2012 through 2014, the payment adjustment will increase each calendar year. In 2012, the payment adjustment for not being a successful electronic prescriber will result in an eligible professional or group practice receiving 99% of their Medicare Part B PFS amount that would otherwise apply to such services. In 2013, an eligible professional or group practice will receive 98.5% of their Medicare Part B PFS covered professional services for not being a successful electronic prescriber in 2011 or as defined in a future regulation. In 2014, the payment adjustment for not being a successful electronic prescriber is 2%, resulting in an eligible professional or group practice receiving 98% of their Medicare Part B PFS covered professional services.

The payment adjustment does not apply if <10%>

Please note that earning an eRx incentive for 2011 will NOT necessarily exempt an eligible professional or group practice from the payment adjustment in 2011.

How to Avoid the 2012 eRx Payment Adjustment

· Eligible professionals – An eligible professional can avoid the 2012 eRx Payment if (s)he:

- Is not a physician (MD, DO, or podiatrist), nurse practitioner, or physician assistant as of Jun 30, 2011 based on primary taxonomy code in NPPES;

- Does not have prescribing privileges. Note: (S)he must report (G8644) at least one time on an eligible claim prior to June 30, 2011;

- Does not have at least 100 cases containing an encounter code in the measure denominator;

- Becomes a successful e-prescriber; and

- Reports the eRx measure for at least 10 unique eRx events for patients in the denominator of the measure.

· Group Practices - For group practices that are participating in eRx GPRO I or GPRO II during 2011, the group practice MUST become a successful e-prescriber.

- Depending on the group’s size, the group practice must report the eRx measure for 75-2,500 unique eRx events for patients in the denominator of the measure.

For additional information, please visit the “Getting Started” webpage at http://www.cms.gov/erxincentive on the CMS website for more information; or download the Medicare’s Practical Guide to the Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program under Educational Resources.

ONC Personal Health Records Understanding the Evolving Landscape Webcast

Due to an overwhelming response to the December 3, 2010 PHR Roundtable, pre-registration for in-person attendance has reached its capacity. However, you may still participate in the Roundtable via webcast. To register for the webcast, click here.

Nursing’s New Roadmap: Education, the Workforce, and Health Care Quality Webinar


I strongly encourage those interested in Nursing to register for this event. SV


Thursday, November 18, 2010
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time

Click here to register.

Featuring:

Donna Shalala, PhD, former US Secretary of Health and Human Services; President, University of Miami; Chair, Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, Institute of Medicine

Linda Burnes Bolton, DrPH, RN, FAAN, Vice President for Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Vice Chair, IOM Committee on the Future of Nursing

Patricia Benner, RN, PhD, FAAN, Senior Scholar, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; Author, Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation and From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Nursing.


Learn more about the speakers


What’s it going to take for the health care system to take full advantage of the potential of nurses – and for nurses to realize their full potential? These twin questions are not new to the nursing profession, or to policy makers. Both groups have been wrestling for years to find the right levers to increase not just the ranks of RNs, but their skills and recognition as key members of health care teams. Although this has led to some successes and improvements, the solutions haven’t kept up with demands. Health care reform has only intensified the need to sharpen strategies, especially as nurses have the potential to play a critical role in creating a more patient-centered, integrated delivery system.



In October, the Institute of Medicine released a report called The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. The study committee’s Chair and Vice Chair, Donna Shalala and Linda Burnes Bolton, will join us on the next WIHI to review the recommendations and to talk about how to turn the substantial report into action. Everyone in health care, not just nurses, has a role to play in driving many of the ideas forward. One of health care’s and nursing’s most respected educators, Patricia Benner, will round out the panel with some special focus on the changes needed in nursing education to ensure that RNs have the necessary skills and preparation to assume greater leadership and patient care roles.



Any discussion about the goals and ambitions for any health profession must take into consideration how these align with the needs of health care reform – including better quality, better health, at reduced costs. Please join the next WIHI to help forge and further the connections to nursing. See you then!

2009 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program Update

Keypoints:

LE will appear on remittance, indicating an incentive payment.

RX09: is the 2009 eRx incentive payments 4-digit code

SV

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased to announce that incentive payments for the 2009 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program were made to eligible professionals who met the criteria for successful reporting.

The 2009 eRx incentive payments are currently being processed and distributed by Carriers and Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs). Distribution of the 2009 eRx incentive payments were completed by October 22, 2010.

E-prescribing incentives earned by individual participating physicians and other eligible professionals are paid as a lump-sum to the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) under which the EP’s claims were submitted. It is then up to the TIN to decide how to distribute the incentive within the practice.

Effective January 2010, CMS revised the manner in which incentive payment information is communicated to eligible professionals receiving electronic remittance advices. CMS has instructed Medicare contractors to use a new indicator of LE to indicate incentive payments instead of LS. LE will appear on the electronic remittance advice. Additionally the paper remittance advice will read “This is an eRx incentive payment.” It will not include the year and indicator LE in the paper remittance. In an effort to further clarify the type of incentive payment issued (either PQRI or eRx incentive), CMS created a 4-digit code to indicate the type of incentive and reporting year. For the 2009 eRx incentive payments, the 4-digit code is RX09. This code will be displayed on the electronic remittance advice along with the LE indicator. For example, eligible professionals will see LE to indicate an incentive payment, along with RX09 to identify that payment as the 2009 eRx incentive payment.

2009 Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program Feedback Reports

The 2009 eRx feedback reports will be available on the Physician and Other Health Care Professionals Quality Reporting Portal at http://www.qualitynet.org/pqri on the internet, starting the second week of November. TIN-level reports on the Portal require an Individuals Authorized Access to CMS Computer Services (IACS) account. Participants may also contact their Carrier or MAC to request individual NPI-level reports via an alternate feedback report fulfillment process, please visit http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0922.pdf on the CMS website.

Who to Contact for Questions?

If you have questions about the status of your eRx incentive payment (during the distribution timeframe), please contact your Provider Contact Center. The Contact Center Directory is available at http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/Downloads/CallCenterTollNumDirectory.zip on the CMS website.

Feel free to contact the QualityNet Help Desk with any of the following:

· Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) Portal password issues

· PQRI/eRx feedback report availability and access

· PQRI-IACS registration questions

· PQRI-IACS login issues

The QualityNet Help Desk is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CST at 1-866-288-8912 or via qnetsupport@sdps.org on the internet. The QualityNet Help Desk is also available to assist with PQRI and eRx measure-specific questions.

2nd Annual Canada – U.S. eHealth Summit


The Union League, Philadelphia, PA
November 16, 2010

I. Registration / Breakfast / Sponsor Booths 8:00-9:00AM

II. Welcome / Intros 9:00-9:15AM -

- David F.J. Marshall, Canadian Consul in Philadelphia

III. MODELS FOR CONTROLLING COSTS AND IMPROVING QUALITY- ACOS (ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS) AND MEDICAL HOMES

Forging partnerships between patients, their families and caregivers and physicians and payers to create a continuous, comprehensive care model for all stages of life from pediatrics to geriatrics; acute care; chronic care; preventive services; and end of life, which is secure, accessible, compassionate, and culturally effective. Canadian health officials weigh in with appraisals of their own health system.

Keynote: Dr. Barry Straube, CMO and Director, Office of Standards and Quality, CMS

Keynote: William Pascal, CTO, Canadian Medical Association

- 15 minute BREAK

Keynote: John Glaser, PhD, CEO, Health Services, Siemens Healthcare

Moderator: Phil Magistro/Governor’s Office

Panelists:

a.) Rachel Block/New York State

b.) Henry Fader, Esq./Pepper Hamilton

c.) Mary Madison/AHIMA Foundation

d.) Dr. John Haughton/Covisint-DocSite

- LUNCH / Sponsor Booths – Noon to 1:00PM

IV. MEDS & EDS

How the Greater Philadelphia region can leverage its world class assets in medicine, education, life sciences and pharmaceuticals to become a global leader in health information technology, and how HTX already is a leading resource and catalyst for accelerating the growth of Ontario’s Medical and Assistive Technologies industry cluster.

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Keynote: Rob Wonderling, President and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce

Keynote: Tony Iantorno, Founder, Accelero Management Consulting and

Joshua Lawson, Associate Partner, SECOR Consulting

Moderator: Elliot Sloane, PhD/Drexel and DVHIMSS

Panelists:

a.) JoAnn Klinedinst/HIMSS and PAeHI

b.) Dr. Thompson Boyd/Hahnemann University Hospital

c.) Dr. John Cacciamani/Temple University Hospital

d.) Dr. Gary Kurtzman/Safeguard Scientifics

- 15 minute BREAK

V. LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO EMPOWER WELLNESS (3:00PM)

Information and communications technologies have helped to revolutionize business; can they do the same for health? Presenting examples from Canada and the U.S. on how telemedicine, telehealth and mobile communication devices are being deployed to improve outcomes, lower costs and overcome disparities in healthcare delivery.

Keynote: Dr. Ed Brown, CEO, Ontario Telemedicine Network

Keynote: David Levine, President, Montreal Health and Social Service Agency

Moderator: Dr. Sal Volpe/TLC QIO

Panelists:

a.) Alex Nason/Johns Hopkins Medicine

b.) Brian Wells/University of Pennsylvania Health System

c.) Dr. Joseph Couto/Thomas Jefferson University

d.) Dr. Robyn Tamblyn/McGill University

VI. Reception (5:00 – 6:00pm)

On-line registration: http://www.dvhimss.org/

Directions & parking: http://www.unionleague.org/directions-parking.php

Event Information: markwstevens@verizon.net; Vincent.finn@international.gc.ca

HIMSS and CDW Meaningful Use Seminars

November 16^th November 30^th

San Francisco Phoenix

Grand Café Arizona Biltmore

501 Geary at Taylor Street 2400 East Missouri Ave.

San Francisco, CA 94102 Phoenix, AZ 85016

RSVP RSVP

December 8^th December 14^th

Chicago Northern NJ

Omni Hotel Il Villagio

676 N Michigan Ave 651 Route 17 North

Chicago, IL 60611 Carlstadt, NJ 07072

RSVP RSVP

HIMSS, the nation's leading caused-based health IT membership organization, in partnership with CDW Healthcare, the leading provider of technology solutions, invite you to a complimentary dinner and presentation…

Understanding the Implications of Meaningful Use

for Ambulatory Practice Eligible Professionals

6:00 pm - 6:45 pm: Check-in and Networking/Cocktail Reception

6:45 pm - 8:30 pm: Dinner presentation with Q&A

RSVP Today

Featured Speakers:

Elise Singer, MD, MBA
Chief Medical Officer

California Health Information and Partnership and Services Organization (CalHIPSO)

November 16th in San Francisco

Kenneth Adler, MD, CPHIMS

Medical Director for Information Technology

Arizona Community Physicians

November 30th in Phoenix

Patricia B. Wise, RN, MS, MA, FHIMSS, COL, USA (ret'd)
Vice President, Healthcare Information Systems
HIMSS

November 16th in San Francisco & November 30th in Phoenix

Fred D. Rachman, MD

CEO

Alliance of Chicago Community Health Services

December 8^th in Chicago

S. Vincent Grasso, DO

Surgeon Family Practice, North Bergen, NJ

Adjunct Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology

December 14th in Northern New Jersey

Mary P. Griskewicz, MS, FHIMSS
Senior Director, Ambulatory Information Systems
HIMSS

December 7^th in Chicago & December 14th in Northern New Jersey

This Meaningful Use Thought Leadership Program is an exclusive event for ambulatory physicians, practice owners and practice administrators.

Meeting incentive requirements is much more than funding...it's also about revenue growth and avoiding government penalties. Two industry leaders have joined forces to help you understand the full implications of meaningful use.

Your RSVP is requested...

The consequences for not achieving meaningful use can be translated into lost funding in the shorter term and revenue loss and regulatory penalties in the longer term. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Stephanie Serra at sserra@himss.org or (312) 915-9222. Seating is limited, so act now.

Don't miss this strategic and solution-centric opportunity for meeting incentive requirements. It's that important!