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2007 CMS Updates Added February 9, 2007 CMS Launches New Physician Quality Reporting Site This week CMS launched a new site to provide information regarding the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), which establishes a financial incentive for eligible professionals to participate in a voluntary quality reporting program. PQRI replaces the Physician Voluntary Reporting Program (PVRP); as part of the transition, CMS plans to provide confidential 3rd and 4th quarter feedback reports to physicians who participated in the 2006 PVRP. Under the PQRI, eligible professionals who report quality measures on claims for dates of service from July 1 to December 31, 2007, may earn a bonus payment, subject to a cap, of 1.5% of total allowed charges for covered Medicare physician fee schedule services, for the traditional Medicare fee-for-service program only. The CMS PQRI site may be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI/. The "Tax Relief and Health Care
Act of 2006" (TRHCA), Section 101 under Title I, authorizing
the establishment of a physician quality reporting system by CMS may
be found at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI/Downloads/PQRITaxReliefHealthCareAct.pdf Added January 3, 2007
MLN Matters Articles Regarding the 2007 Physician Fee Schedule MM5448 – Legislative Change to the Update Factor for the 2007 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Extension of the Participating Enrollment Period http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM5448.pdf
Two MLN Matters articles have just been released that contain important update information to the 2007 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The articles, MM5443—“2007 Physician Fee Schedule Payment Policies” and MM5459—“Emergency Update to the 2007 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database (MPFSDB),” can be accessed through the following URLs:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM5443.pdf
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM5459.pdf Medicare Part B Drug and Biological Average Sales Price (ASP) Payment Amounts for January 1 to March 31, 2007
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available the Medicare Part B Drug and Biological Average Sales Price (ASP) Payment Amounts for January 1 to March 31, 2007 on the CMS website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/01a_2007aspfiles.asp#TopOfPage Selected revisions to prior pricing files for 2006 have also been posted at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/02_aspfiles.asp#TopOfPage The files are located in the "Downloads" section of the web pages. Updated CAP Drug List Effective January 1, 2007
An updated list of drugs that will be available under the CAP has been posted in the Downloads Section of the following CMS website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/15_Approved_Vendor.asp#TopOfPage
This quarter’s changes include:
Confirming your CAP physician election status The regular 2007 CAP physician election period concluded on December 1, 2006. Physicians who believe that they have elected to participate in the CAP, but have not been contacted by the approved CAP vendor should confirm their status to participate in the CAP with their local carrier (the carrier that processes the physician's Part B claims). A link to carriers' contact information may be found in the Downloads section of the CAP information for physicians’ webpage (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/02_infophys.asp#TopOfPage) under Medicare Carrier Addresses. Corresponding telephone numbers are also listed. Briefing on Employee Education about False Claims Recovery
On Thursday, January 11, 2007, at 1:00 p.m. eastern time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a briefing to respond to providers’ questions regarding section 6032 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171) (DRA), Employee Education About False Claims Recovery.
The following is a link to guidance on section 6032 that was issued to State Medicaid Directors on December 13, 2006:
Participants will be required to know the PASSCODE and the CALL LEADER’S NAME to gain access to the conference. Posting of the Issues Paper for the Listening Session on a Plan for Medicare Hospital Value-Based Purchasing – January 17, 2007
CMS is pleased to announce that the Issues Paper addressing design considerations for the development of the Medicare Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Plan authorized by Section 5001(b) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 is now posted on the CMS web page at Hospital Center Spotlights: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/hospital.asp.
CMS will conduct a Listening Session on January 17, 2007 focused on this Issues Paper. The Listening Session will be held from 10 AM to 5 PM in the CMS Baltimore auditorium. Attendees will have the opportunity to present verbal comments if they have registered in advance to do so. A dial-in number will be provided for those who cannot attend, but due to time constraints, telephone participants will not be able to make verbal comments.
All interested parties are encouraged to participate in the Listening Session, including, but not limited to hospitals and other health care providers, purchasers, employers, consumers, and representatives of these stakeholders. Registration is required for both on-site and teleconference participation. Registration information is available at: http://registration.intercall.com/go/cms2. Confirmation of registration is provided.
Written comments on the Issues Paper will be accepted until January 24, 2007 and may be sent by e-mail to cmshospitalVBP@cms.hhs.gov. Comments may also be sent by FAX to 410-786-0330 or mailed to Robin Phillips, Medicare Feedback Group, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mail Stop C4-13-07, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. HIPAA Security Guidance for Remote Use of Electronic Protected Health Information
CMS would like to announce the publication of the” Security Guidance for Remote Use” paper. This document is intended to provide HIPAA covered entities with general information on the risks and possible mitigation strategies for remote use of Electronic Protected Health Information (EPHI).
As you may know, CMS has delegated authority to enforce the non-privacy provisions of the HIPAA Regulations, to include HIPAA Security. This guidance document sets forth CMS’ minimal compliance expectations for covered entities seeking to safeguard EPHI that is accessed, stored or transported offsite. Please note however that this document does not seek to provide a comprehensive list of risks and mitigation strategies but rather a general list of suggestions for organizations that require remote use of sensitive health information.
For more information please go here and click downloads: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/SecurityStandard/
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