Dec 2, 2019
The start of a new year brings many additions to your to-do list. Between wrapping up the 2019 program year and preparing to attest, and beginning the 2020 performance period with all of its changes, it can seem like too much to keep up with.
To help kick off the year, and a new decade, our first webinar will help you sort and manage your QPP to-do list for 2020. This will help ensure you are making progress toward meeting goals and not letting anything slip between the cracks.
We will guide you through:
- creating an Action Plan for the 2020 Program Year
- key areas to concentrate on in 2020
- preparing for the 2019 QPP attestation
- identifying areas of focus for Quality
- month by month break down
Join us as we discuss the four performance categories and how to create a plan to set you and your practice up for success!
QPP Year 4: Planning for Success
Thursday, January 16, 2020 12:30 PM ET
Contact the experts at Kentucky REC for all your QPP, MIPS, and APM questions. We’re here to help: 859-323-3090.
Nov 25, 2019
In our new episode of the PILL podcast, Trudi speaks with Dr. James Keck, a Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine board certified physician who cares for patients in the University of Kentucky Family Medicine Clinic. He supervises, trains, and educates medical students and Family and Preventive Medicine Residents at the UK clinic and UK hospital. Recently, Dr. Keck and colleagues implemented several strategies to promote Diabetes Prevention Program referrals from primary care colleagues to the UK Diabetes Prevention Program. He discusses the diagnosis of “prediabetes”, including who should be screened, how it is diagnosed, and next steps to avoid diabetes.
The National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is a partnership of public and private organizations working to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Partners make it easier for people at risk for type 2 diabetes to participate in evidence-based lifestyle change programs to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. Kentucky has 55 recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program organizations serving 80 counties with in person classes. We also have online or distance learning locations covering all 120 counties. To find out more go to CHFS.KY.gov and search for Diabetes prevention programs.
Listen to our podcast at our new home, Buzzsprout, or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. All previous episodes are now available.
If you need assistance with quality improvement and/or the QPP, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email. For specific Quality Payment Program assistance for small practices, visit the online resource center.
Nov 15, 2019
With the calendar year drawing to a close, it’s time to develop your plans for submission to Year 3 of the Quality Payment Program. A great deal of hard work goes into a successful QPP submission. Much of your information gathering and documentation can actually be done now, or at least lined up for quick collection at the close of 2019.
Both Improvement Activities and Promoting Interoperability performance categories allow some flexibility in data reporting timeframes. You can select 90-continuous days for reporting for either category throughout the calendar year. This flexibility allows you to work ahead of the submission deadlines by gathering reports or other required documentation for the associated measures.
While Quality and Cost have a full year reporting requirement, you can implement strategies now for a strong finish to the 2019 performance year. Keep in mind that Cost is based upon Medicare Part B claims submitted to CMS during the performance year, so there is no additional information that to be submitted for attestation.
We’ll discuss how to put your practice in the best position for submission success. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with your experts at Kentucky REC and have your QPP questions answered by our team of Quality Improvement Advisors!
QPP Year 3: Attestation Prep
Thursday, December 5, 2019 12:30 PM ET
Contact the experts at Kentucky REC for all your QPP, MIPS, and APM questions. We’re here to help: 859-323-3090.
Nov 4, 2019
On November 1st CMS released the highly anticipated Quality Payment Program Year 4 Final Rule. This Final Rule will impact and shape the Quality Payment Program for Program Year 4, calendar year 2020, and beyond.
We would like to answer your specific questions during the webinar. Therefore, please submit any questions or contact us in advance here.
QPP Year 4 Webinar: Final Rule 2020
Tuesday Nov 26 12:30 – 1:30 PM ET
Download the 2020 PFS/MACRA/Quality Payment Program Final Rule from the Federal Register here.
Read the Year 4 Final Rule Overview Fact Sheet and Executive Summary produced by CMS here.
Contact the experts at Kentucky REC for all your QPP, MIPS, and APM questions. We’re here to help: 859-323-3090.
Oct 30, 2019
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services selected Altarum Institute and the Trustees of Indiana University as Prime awardees of the Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractor. The Kentucky Regional Extension Center, an outreach arm of UK HealthCare, is a sub-awardee for both of these Prime awardees.
This designation will allow NQIICs to bid on Task Orders over the next five years.
Under the new CMS Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract mechanism to support quality improvement efforts, each NQIIC may serve as:
• Quality Improvement Experts
• Facilitators/change agents for healthcare transformation by achieving bold aims at a high value
• Innovators of quality improvement
As a NQIIC awardee, UK HealthCare’s Kentucky Regional Extension Center has demonstrated healthcare quality improvement expertise.
Services supported by some of the NQIIC awardees may include:
• Provide direct technical assistance in specific areas of healthcare quality improvement (e.g., patient safety, opioid misuse, nursing home quality, etc.)
• Seek and gain commitments from patients, providers and stakeholders to achieve aims
• Use a Human Centered Design that involves teaming with patient and family members to improve healthcare processes and outcomes
• Focus on helping providers and healthcare organizations to achieve quantitative results for improved outcomes, lower costs, better care, less provider burden, greater transparency, and more
• Support a diverse array of organizations and populations, including: rural providers, vulnerable beneficiaries, clinical practices, hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis facilities, and more
• Support providers in efficient use of Health Information Technology and interoperability
• Serve as backbone organizations to form and engage Community Coalitions
• Convene and support Learning and Action Networks (LANs)
Oct 2, 2019
From CMS…
Thursday, October 3rd is the Start of the Last 90-Day EHR Reporting Period for the Promoting Interoperability Programs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would like to remind Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program participants that the electronic health record (EHR) reporting period in 2019 is a minimum of any continuous 90-day period in CY 2019, through December 31, 2019.
Thursday, October 3rd is the last possible start date for the 90-day EHR reporting period for new and returning eligible hospitals, dual-eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) in 2019. Failure to demonstrate that a hospital or CAH is a meaningful EHR user for a continuous 90-days will result in a downward payment adjustment.
In addition to a continuous 90-day EHR reporting period and other program requirements, Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program participants must:
• Use 2015 Edition Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) for a minimum of any continuous 90-day period
Note: The 2015 Edition CEHRT did not have to be implemented on January 1, 2019, but the functionality must be in place by the first day of the EHR reporting period.
• Submit a “yes” to the Prevention of Information Blocking Attestations
• Submit a “yes” to the ONC Direct Review Attestation
• Report the required numerator and denominator or yes/no measures from each of the four objectives or claim their exclusion(s)
• Earn a minimum total score of 50 points
• Report on four self-selected eCQMs from the set of 16 available
For More Information
To learn more about these requirements, please review the:
• 2019 Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program Requirements
• FY 2019 IPPS and Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program Overview Fact Sheet
For more information on the Promoting Interoperability Programs, visit the Promoting Interoperability Programs website.
Contact us at Kentucky REC with your questions about the Promoting Interoperability Program. Our team of experts is here to help: 859-323-3090.
