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Meaningful Use for Radiologists
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| By Barbara F. Rubel, MBA
Meaningful: to “have a meaning or purpose.” We have meaningful relationships, meaningful activities, meaningful events, and now we have “meaningful use.” The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) have not defined the term “meaningful” specifically, however, meaningful is defined within the context of how certain technology is used to achieve patient health and provider efficiency goals. Thus, “meaningful use” is the use of this technology to achieve defined patient and provider outcomes.
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CMS Starts Medicare 'Stimulus' Incentive Program Attestation on April 18
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| Monday, March 28, 2011
Healthcare providers can verify that they have met the requirements for meaningful use of electronic health records starting April 18, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launches its online attestation service.
To receive a Medicare incentive payment, providers must confirm that they have fulfilled the certified technology and quality objectives for meaningful use through the CMS Web-based Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs Registration and Attestation System.
CMS has paid out $37.6 million so far in EHR incentives under the Medicaid program.
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How Institutional Providers Will Pay the Medicare Enrollment Application Fee beginning Friday, March 25
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| Section 6401(a) of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires the Secretary to impose a fee on each “institutional provider of medical or other items or services and suppliers.” The fee is to be used by the Secretary to cover the cost of program integrity efforts including the cost of screening associated with provider enrollment processes, including those under section 1866(j) and section 1128J of the Social Security Act. The application fee is $505 for CY2011; based upon provisions of the ACA this fee will vary from year-to-year based on adjustments made pursuant to the Consumer Price Index - All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). The application fee is to be imposed on institutional providers that are newly-enrolling, re-enrolling/re-validating, or adding a new practice location, for applications received on and after Friday, March 25, 2011. CMS has defined “institutional provider” to mean any provider or supplier that submits a paper Medicare enrollment application using the CMS-855A, CMS-855B (except physician and non-physician practitioner organizations), or CMS-855S forms or associated Internet-based PECOS enrollment application.
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EHR Market Forecast Overview
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| (As Suggested by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.)
A recent forecast from a leading research firm projects that the market for electronic health record (EHR) systems in North America will reach $2.6 billion by 2012, doubling its total of 1.3 billion in 2009. Furthermore, it is set to exceed $5.4 billion by the year 2015. Much of that growth will be seen from technology adoption by private physician practices and ambulatory outpatient centers, which currently have a penetration rate of less than 15%.
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Electronic health records incentives registration starts Jan. 3, 2011
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| Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced the availability of registration for the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs. CMS and ONC encouraged broad participation and outlined online and in-person resources that are in place to assist eligible professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate.
Beginning Jan. 3, 2011, registration will be available for eligible health care professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate in the Medicare EHR incentive program.
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President Obama Signs the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010
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| On Wednesday, December 15, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010 (MMEA). This new law prevents a scheduled payment cut for physicians who treat Medicare patients from taking effect. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased that this law has addressed key issues for beneficiaries and providers and we are actively engaged in implementing these changes.
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