You now have official answers from CMS on some of the trickiest meaningful use questions around, including just how much clinical data you need to record and how to record measures for providers who use electronic health records (EHRs) in multiple locations. The answers, some complete, some barely helpful, are now on CMS’s frequently asked questions (FAQ) page at https://questions.cms.hhs.gov/. Here’s a rundown on the latest ones for meaningful use.

HHS will dole out $42 million in health reform funds to 500 federally qualified health centers (FQHC) over three years to help improve care in the Advanced Primary Care Practice (APCP) demo program, HHS announced in an Oct. 24 news release.

CMS will pay these clinics monthly per primary care patient based on their performance, such as chronic disease management, and, in return, clinics are expected to use the funds to extend their hours, staff needs to accommodate same-day appointments and serve urgent care patients.

A total of around 89,000 providers have been sent revalidation notices so far, top CMS officials said in an open door call this afternoon (Oct. 27). That makes up about 6% of the 1.5 million providers who are impacted by the latest revalidation initiative. Those 89,000 letters were mailed by Medicare contractors in the last half of September, said Mark Majestic, a CMS official.

Many of your peers are say they will reduce their Medicare patient loads or drop out of Medicare completely if Congress doesn’t remove the 30% sustainable growth rate (SGR) pay cut set to hit in 2012, according to a study released by the Medical Group Management Association(MGMA) Monday.

“Our data reflects a dire Medicare environment for physician practices,” said Susan Turney, MD, MGMA’s president and CEO. “The SGR is a runaway train that threatens the future of Medicare.” The Oct. 24-released study polled more than 2,176 practices in which more than 93,000 physicians practice from mid-September through mid-October. 

You’ll face less risk and fewer administrative hassles if you choose to participate in an accountable care organization (ACO), thanks to changes made in the final ACO rule, released today in the Federal Register. CMS took pains to review feedback from physician advocacy groups and believes the final rule takes many of their biggest concerns into account, top agency officials said during a conference call with reporters.