QPP Webinar Dec 16: CMS 2026 Final Rule
QPP 2026 PFS & QPP Final Rule*
Webinar Date: December 16, 2025 @12pm
CMS released the highly anticipated 2026 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule on Nov 3rd — and the changes are significant.
From new Quality Payment Program (QPP) requirements to critical updates impacting MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs), eligible clinicians will see meaningful shifts in reporting, participation, and performance expectations.
One of the most notable updates is the introduction of the new Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM)—inclusion of specialists in outpatient and ambulatory care settings. ASM is designed to expand value-based care opportunities, improve quality measurement alignment for specialists, and offer new pathways to succeed in advanced payment arrangements.
OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS WILL WALK YOU THROUGH:
• Key QPP updates every organization must understand
• What’s changing within MVPs and APM participation
• How the Ambulatory Specialty Model will affect specialists and reporting options
• Action steps to prepare for 2026
Interested in learning more about QPP, attend upcoming webinars, or learn how our advisors can assist your practice in maximizing performance in the QPP or other value-based care programs? As a client, you receive exclusive access to our analysis of all aspects of the Quality Payment Program. To speak with the team on how we can best support you, feel free to contact us HERE.
*This webinar is for Kentucky REC contracted QPP clients only. If you are interested in this topic and would like to learn more about becoming a client, please contact us at (859) 323-3090 or email us at KYRec@uky.edu. We aim to be your trusted healthcare advisor!
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23 2025: Dr Tama Thé – The Promise of AI for Kentucky Healthcare
Dreams of Data—The Promise of AI for Kentucky Healthcare
Speaker: Dr Tama Thé, MD, Assistant Professor – Department of Emergency Medicine, UK HealthCare
Artificial intelligence is transforming medicine around the world. How can we make sure that Kentucky doesn’t get left behind? This presentation explores how we can harness AI to build a smarter, more connected healthcare system. We’ll look at how AI can improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce documentation burdens, and help address the physician shortage. We will highlight some of the innovative projects underway at UK HealthCare and get a peek of the broader vision driving the next wave of healthcare transformation.
Dr Tama Thé, MD
Tama Thé specializes in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and is an AI Research fellow with the National Board of Medical Examiners. He is leading AI initiatives both in healthcare at UKHC and across the state, as well as on the main campus at UK, and is the founder of the AI Incubator at the UK College of Medicine.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: HIE-Speed Ahead – Connecting Care Smarter
HIE-Speed Ahead: Connecting Care Smarter
Speaker: Andrew Bledsoe, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Get ready to accelerate into the future of health information technology! Andrew Bledsoe of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services introduces KHIE’s new HIE system and its enhanced capabilities, designed to make data exchange faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever. We’ll explore how these upgrades improve care coordination, strengthen connections, and empower providers with the right information at the right time.
About Andrew Bledsoe, Deputy Inspector General, Office of Inspector General, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
The intersection of health information technology with quality care delivery has provided Andrew Bledsoe with a unique perspective over his two plus decades in healthcare. Starting his career in a regional hospital, he quickly learned the challenges in healthcare, especially rural medicine, and began investing in the concept of leveraging health information technology to improve outcomes for patients.
His current appointment as the Deputy Inspector General for the Office of the Inspector General within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services primarily focuses on implementing the KHIE Strategic and Operational Plan, promoting the statewide exchange of patient health information, spearheading a number of new services designed to improve care coordination, and offer new avenues to reduce reporting burdens and foster inter-agency collaboration.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
QPP Webinar Nov 11 – Conquering 2025 MIPS Attestation: A Simplified Guide
QPP 2025 Conquering 2025 MIPS Attestation: A Simplified Guide*
Webinar Date: November 11, 2025 @12pm
Join your Kentucky REC expert advisors as we provide education around preparing for submitting for the 2025 Quality Payment Program – Traditional MIPS & MVP Track attestations.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Demystifying the attestation process
• Documentation preparation
• Avoiding common submission pitfalls
• Leveraging technology
• Maximizing MIPS score
Interested in learning more about QPP, attend upcoming webinars, or learn how our advisors can assist your practice in maximizing performance in the QPP or other value-based care programs? As a client, you receive exclusive access to our analysis of all aspects of the Quality Payment Program. To speak with the team on how we can best support you, feel free to contact us HERE.
*This webinar is for Kentucky REC contracted QPP clients only. If you are interested in this topic and would like to learn more about becoming a client, please contact us at (859) 323-3090 or email us at KYRec@uky.edu. We aim to be your trusted healthcare advisor!
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: Elevating Quality & Value
Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Online
Oct. 23 2025, Lexington Kentucky, The Campbell House
Elevating Quality and Value: Leading Teams into the Next Generation of Care
Speakers: Katie Carozza and Jessica Elliott, Kentucky REC
The shift to value-based care is accelerating, driven by evolving payment models, rising patient expectations, and the increasing demand for data-driven, personalized care. We will discuss key challenges faced by today’s healthcare leaders and how vital steps taken now can pave the way to a successful future. Some of the elements required to transform healthcare include: forward-thinking leaders; organizations built on the foundations of high-reliability healthcare principles; strategic investment in technology; standardized processes; and empowered teams leading a culture of continuous improvement. This session will equip healthcare leaders with actionable strategies for sustainable success while maintaining our commitments to healthcare’s Quintuple Aim.
About KATIE CAROZZA
Katie Carozza is a seasoned public health and quality improvement expert with 10+ years of experience. A proud alumnus of Binghamton University, her career is dedicated to enhancing health promotion strategies and advancing quality in healthcare. Katie’s extensive background includes serving as a Clinical Program Manager at UK Healthcare and, most recently, as a Quality Improvement Advisor and Value-Based Programs Manager at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. She is passionate about making a lasting impact on the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
About JESSICA ELLIOTT
Jessica Elliott is the Lead Practice Transformation & Quality Improvement Advisor at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. Jessica is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPPS) and a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS). She has over 19 years of healthcare experience, including expertise in quality improvement implementation science and regulatory policy analysis. Ms. Elliott partners with clinicians and healthcare organizations to design and implement strategies enhancing patient outcomes, optimizing care processes, and maximizing efficiencies in the transition to value-based care. Jessica also leads projects including HEDIS measure optimization and chronic disease grant initiatives focused on patient activation and linkages to community resources.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Elevating Quality and Value: Leading Teams into the Next Generation of Care
Speakers: Katie Carozza and Jessica Elliott, Kentucky REC
The shift to value-based care is accelerating, driven by evolving payment models, rising patient expectations, and the increasing demand for data-driven, personalized care. We will discuss key challenges faced by today’s healthcare leaders and how vital steps taken now can pave the way to a successful future. Some of the elements required to transform healthcare include: forward-thinking leaders; organizations built on the foundations of high-reliability healthcare principles; strategic investment in technology; standardized processes; and empowered teams leading a culture of continuous improvement. This session will equip healthcare leaders with actionable strategies for sustainable success while maintaining our commitments to healthcare’s Quintuple Aim.
About KATIE CAROZZA
Katie Carozza is a seasoned public health and quality improvement expert with 10+ years of experience. A proud alumnus of Binghamton University, her career is dedicated to enhancing health promotion strategies and advancing quality in healthcare. Katie’s extensive background includes serving as a Clinical Program Manager at UK Healthcare and, most recently, as a Quality Improvement Advisor and Value-Based Programs Manager at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. She is passionate about making a lasting impact on the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
About JESSICA ELLIOTT
Jessica Elliott is the Lead Practice Transformation & Quality Improvement Advisor at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center. Jessica is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPPS) and a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS). She has over 19 years of healthcare experience, including expertise in quality improvement implementation science and regulatory policy analysis. Ms. Elliott partners with clinicians and healthcare organizations to design and implement strategies enhancing patient outcomes, optimizing care processes, and maximizing efficiencies in the transition to value-based care. Jessica also leads projects including HEDIS measure optimization and chronic disease grant initiatives focused on patient activation and linkages to community resources.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: Changes to HIPAA Security Rule – The Latest Updates
Changes to HIPAA Security Rule – The Latest Updates
Speaker: Amy Daley, Kentucky REC
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Electronic Protected Health Information (NPRM) on Jan 6, 2025.
These proposed changes bring about new requirements such as vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, patch management, network segmentation, data backup testing, multi-factor authentication, security incident planning and testing, HIPAA compliance audits, business associate delegation and guidelines for ongoing maintenance.
Amy will provide an overview of the proposed changes, expected timelines for regulated entities to meet compliance, and any updates provided by HHS since publishing the proposed rule.
About Amy Daley
Amy Daley, CHPS, has been a Health IT Advisor for Kentucky Regional Extension Center since 2014 and is the HIPAA Team Lead. She specializes in HIPAA Security guidance for healthcare organizations across the state of Kentucky. Amy obtained her B.S. in Computer Information Systems from the University of Louisville. Amy has been a guest speaker at various conferences in Kentucky presenting on topics related to HIPAA Security and Promoting Interoperability. Her background includes expertise in the areas of implementation, training and management of EHR systems.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Keynote Speaker – Marc Cormier, Sports Psychologist
From the Locker Room to the Clinic: Sport Psychology Strategies for Healthcare Teams
Speaker: Marc Cormier, Ph.D., CMPC – Associate Professor of Sport and Performance Psychology, College of Education | Director of Counseling and Performance Psychology – UK Athletics
This year’s keynote presentation will explore the application of performance psychology principles to healthcare, with a special emphasis on rural settings where resources and staffing are often limited. Drawing on lessons within sports psychology, the talk will highlight strategies to enhance communication, strengthen group dynamics, and improve performance under pressure, while addressing critical challenges such as burnout, transitions, and workforce sustainability.
Attendees will gain practical insights into how concepts like mental toughness, role clarity, and team cohesion—long studied in sport—can directly translate to quality improvement in healthcare organizations. By reframing healthcare challenges through a performance lens, the session will equip providers, leaders, and staff with tools to optimize their individual and collective effectiveness while maintaining personal well-being.
About Marc Cormier
Dr. Marc Cormier is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion at the University of Kentucky. He serves as the Director for the Sport and Exercise Psychology Graduate Program and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses within the department, including psychology and sociology of sport, psychology of injury and rehabilitation, group dynamics in sport, and applied sport psychology. His primary areas of research include the psychological aspects of sport injury, team cohesion, and mental skills training and he has published in regional, national, and international journals/conference proceedings.
In addition to his faculty responsibilities, Dr. Cormier has a 50% appointment in UK Athletics where he coordinates all counseling and performance psychology services for the athletic department. In this role, Dr. Cormier has worked alongside numerous BCS Bowl, SEC, and NCAA championship teams, as well as All-American and Olympic athletes/champions.
More recently, he has been invited to speak to audiences in various non-sport performance contexts such as the TEDx platform, surgeons, performance artists, emergency responders, and Fortune 500 leaders. He is an award-winning teacher and practitioner, as a six-time (2016-2024) recipient of A Teacher Who Made a Difference, the 2021 UK Outstanding Teacher Award, the 2021 Early Career Practitioner Award and the 2022 Teaching Excellence Award, both from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. In 2024, Dr. Cormier was named a Fellow within the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
Dr. Cormier received his Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Psychology from West Virginia University in 2014, is a certified mental performance consultant (CMPC), a member of the United States Olympic Committee’s Sport Psychology registry, and a Licensed Professional Counselor (Associate) in Kentucky. A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Dr. Cormier is every bit the stereotypical Canadian.
He enjoys cold weather, a good cup of Tim Horton’s coffee, maple syrup, being friendly, and hockey. He continues to enjoy recreational and semi-competitive sports such as hockey, cycling, golf, running, and triathlons. Outside of UK, he loves spending time with the brilliant women in his life: his wife and two young daughters.
Watch Marc's TedX Talk
How to develop a mindset for peak performance
Learn More about Marc
Details on his teaching and innovative research
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: Hospital Promoting Interoperability and Quality Reporting
Hospital Promoting Interoperability and Quality Reporting
Speakers: Kristina Stolitca and Robin Curnel, Kentucky REC
Kentucky REC expert advisors Kristina Stolitca and Robin Curnel will share an overview of the Medicare Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program for Eligible Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals, along with a discussion of Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project for Critical Access Hospitals. This session will provide a detailed review of the 2025 program requirements, including reporting periods, objectives, and measures.
They will also highlight key updates from the recently released FY 2026 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule, with a focus on changes impacting PI program participation and compliance. For MBQIP they will discuss a recent project with the Kentucky Office of Rural Health.
About Kristina Stolitca
Kristina Stolitca is a Health Information Technology Advisor at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center (KY REC), where she has served for nearly 15 years. In this role, she supports hospitals across Kentucky participating in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program, offering expert guidance on regulatory compliance, EHR reporting, and program attestation.
Kristina works directly with hospital staff and executives to assess performance, deliver strategic coaching, and provide hands-on support throughout the program year. She develops tools and resources to help organizations navigate evolving CMS requirements, translating complex federal mandates into clear, actionable guidance.
Her long-standing work at KY REC reflects a deep commitment to improving health IT outcomes for hospitals throughout the Commonwealth.
About Robin Curnel
Robin Curnel is a Health IT and Practice Transformation Advisor and has been with the Kentucky REC for nearly 9 years. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at Murray State University and her Masters in Science in Nursing Management and Leadership from University of Southern Indiana – Evansville. Robin has more than 30 years of nursing experience in rural healthcare and hospital services ranging from bedside nursing in several patient care areas up to senior management.
With the Kentucky REC, Robin uses her clinical knowledge and background to provide detailed technical assistance to eligible providers in Medicare’s Promoting Interoperability Program and Quality Payment Program, assistance with quality improvement methodology implementation, practice transformation, and expertise in Telehealth implementation.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Hospital Promoting Interoperability and Quality Reporting
Speakers: Kristina Stolitca and Robin Curnel, Kentucky REC
Kentucky REC expert advisors Kristina Stolitca and Robin Curnel will share an overview of the Medicare Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program for Eligible Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals, along with a discussion of Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project for Critical Access Hospitals. This session will provide a detailed review of the 2025 program requirements, including reporting periods, objectives, and measures.
They will also highlight key updates from the recently released FY 2026 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule, with a focus on changes impacting PI program participation and compliance. For MBQIP they will discuss a recent project with the Kentucky Office of Rural Health.
About Kristina Stolitca
Kristina Stolitca is a Health Information Technology Advisor at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center (KY REC), where she has served for nearly 15 years. In this role, she supports hospitals across Kentucky participating in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program, offering expert guidance on regulatory compliance, EHR reporting, and program attestation.
Kristina works directly with hospital staff and executives to assess performance, deliver strategic coaching, and provide hands-on support throughout the program year. She develops tools and resources to help organizations navigate evolving CMS requirements, translating complex federal mandates into clear, actionable guidance.
Her long-standing work at KY REC reflects a deep commitment to improving health IT outcomes for hospitals throughout the Commonwealth.
About Robin Curnel
Robin Curnel is a Health IT and Practice Transformation Advisor and has been with the Kentucky REC for nearly 9 years. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at Murray State University and her Masters in Science in Nursing Management and Leadership from University of Southern Indiana – Evansville. Robin has more than 30 years of nursing experience in rural healthcare and hospital services ranging from bedside nursing in several patient care areas up to senior management.
With the Kentucky REC, Robin uses her clinical knowledge and background to provide detailed technical assistance to eligible providers in Medicare’s Promoting Interoperability Program and Quality Payment Program, assistance with quality improvement methodology implementation, practice transformation, and expertise in Telehealth implementation.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Webinar August 19 – CMS Quality Payment Program 2026 NPRM
QPP Webinar: 2026 CMS QPP NOTICE FOR PROPOSED RULEMAKING (NPRM)*
Tuesday August 19, 2025 @ 12PM ET
CMS released the calendar year 2026 Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program (QPP) Proposed Rule on July 14th, 2025. This proposed rule brings significant changes that could directly impact your reimbursement, reporting requirements, and participation in value-based care models. CMS is also proposing a MANDATORY payment model for ambulatory specialists treating Original Medicare beneficiaries for heart failure and low back pain.
Learn about CMS’s proposed changes to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System, Shared Savings Program and APM Track updates, the new mandatory payment model, and other need-to-know proposals impacting your clinical practice.
Join our experts at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center on August 19th, 2025 for a live, client-access only roundtable discussion. We will cover the major proposed updates and potential impacts to eligible clinicians and practices in Program Year 2026 and beyond.
Interested in becoming a QPP client? As a client, you receive exclusive access to our analysis of all aspects of the Quality Payment Program. To speak with the team on how we can best support you, feel free to contact us HERE.
For more information on the 2026 NPRM, visit our recent blog post.
Contact YOUR Experts at the Kentucky REC for all your QPP, MIPS/MVP, and APM Track questions. We are here to help. Call us at 859-323-3090.
*This webinar is for Kentucky REC contracted QPP clients only. If you are interested in this topic and would like to learn more about becoming a client, please contact us at (859) 323-3090 or email us at KYRec@uky.edu. We aim to be your trusted healthcare advisor!
Kentucky REC Annual Conference Oct 23: Advancing Kentucky Together – Trudi Matthews
ADVANCING KENTUCKY TOGETHER & LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Speaker: Trudi Matthews, UK HEalthcare
For more than two decades, the University of Kentucky and its hospital, UK HealthCare, has established and worked with affiliates — hospitals, clinics and providers — across the state to open greater access to specialty care, such as cancer, heart disease and stroke.
During the October 2024 UK Board of Trustees retreat, the Board directed President Capilouto to build on our momentum and take the next critical steps in our mission to advance the wellbeing of our Commonwealth. We are focusing the institution’s capacity and strategic efforts on becoming the university that — along with partners — does more than anyone in the country to improve the health of the state it serves.
The Advancing Kentucky Together Network takes that affiliate model a step further. The Advancing Kentucky Together Network is the next evolution of our partnership model and expands our efforts to address dramatically growing health, education and workforce needs across the state.
About Trudi Matthews
Trudi Matthews serves as Chief of Value Based Programs, Public Policy and Community Initiatives in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at UK HealthCare, the health system of the University of Kentucky (UK). In this role, Trudi works with UK HealthCare’s executive team and ambulatory leadership to ensure success in value-based programs for Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurers. Trudi also serves as government affairs and policy lead for UK HealthCare overseeing a team responsible for reviewing and analyzing state and federal government policy initiatives.
Trudi is also Executive Director of the Kentucky Regional Extension Center (REC) at UK. Trudi oversees this state-wide center charged with assisting health care leaders, practices, and hospitals across Kentucky with using technology, connectivity, process improvement and value-based care models to improve the quality and value of health care. From 2015-2019, she was Managing Director of the Kentucky REC, leading and supporting multiple externally sponsored projects such as Kentucky’s Practice Transformation Network Grant, Medicaid Meaningful Use/Promoting Interoperability Support, and several CDC-funded projects with the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
