Part B News | Editors' Blog

Debt may sink your quality incentive program bonus check

by: Charles Fiegl Jan 28, 2011

Have you found that your quality reporting bonus checks are lower than you expected?

CMS says your incentive payments from the Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program are subject to offsets. The agency explains that it may reduce quality program bonus payments for any outstanding debt linked to your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).

CMS unveils prettier, revamped MCD website

by: Grant Huang Jan 27, 2011

CMS just launched a redesigned, upgraded version of its Medicare Coverage Database (MCD). The MCD site houses all national coverage determinations (NCDs) and local coverage determinations (LCDs), as well as a search engine to find the ones you're looking for. The new site "has been restyled from the ground up" although the functionality is unchanged, CMS says.

First off, the old URL address -- www.cms.gov/MCD/ -- will still work even though the new website has a new URL, www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/. Going to the old URL will automatically redirect your browser to the new one.

You can see at a glance why CMS describes the new site as being "restyled." There is an animated menu bar that presents the navigation choices clearly and cleanly. The big tabs at the top make it easier to access various functions, whereas the old site required clicking on less obvious text links.

State of the Union: Malpractice reform possible, but health reform will stand

by: Grant Huang Jan 26, 2011

There weren't any big surprises where health care and Medicare were concerned during the hour-long State of the Union address last night. President Obama made it clear that the health reform law will not be repealed, only tweaked for improvement. He also hinted again at the possibility of his support for malpractice reform as a way to bring down costs.

"I'm willing to look at other ideas to bring down costs, including one that Republicans suggested last year -- medical malpractice reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits," he said. It was a remark that drew Republican applause, but did not strengthen earlier committments he made to the idea of malpractice reform.

NGS will automatically reprocess AWV claims

by: Charles Fiegl Jan 25, 2011

The Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) National Government Services (NGS, New York, Connecticut) sent out the following message regarding the new annual wellness visit service this afternoon.

eClinicalWorks unveils 5010 transition plans

by: Grant Huang Jan 24, 2011

CMS is preparing to test electronic claims transmission using the new 5010 HIPAA standard -- a secure electronic format that all your software must use. This will impact your practice management software, your electronic health record (EHR) system if you have one, and your clearinghouse, if you use one.

Remember: All claims must be transmitted using the 5010 standard, rather than the current 4010 standard, starting Jan. 1, 2012. This change spans all health plans bound by HIPAA, which basically means you've got to comply not just for Medicare, but for private payers as well.

One piece of advice you've been getting from CMS and us is to call your vendor and make sure they're ready. Well, at least one vendor has a letter explaining their 5010 transition plans, which they sent to me last week. Here is what eClinicalWorks has to say about the transition. If you are using their software, this gives you a great idea of what to expect. If not -- their answers are the ones you want to get out of your vendor.

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