The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced last week that it will offer cash incentives to improve quality of care in nursing homes. CMS will ask Arizona, Mississippi, New York, and Wisconsin to participate. (Source) Quality of care areas include nurse staffing and the scope and severity of deficiency citations the home has received during inspections. Those with the highest scores/greatest performance will receive performance payment. Acting administrator Charlene … [Read more...] about CMS to Offer Nursing Home Quality of Care Incentive
DADS Alerts: CLASS Clarification, Etc.
The Texas Department and Aging and Disability Services (DADS) notified Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) providers that Form 8604, the Transition Assistance Services (TAS) Assessment and Authorization, has been replaced by Form 3621-A, CLASS Transition Assistance Services. See the TAS handbook for more information. DADS is offering new forms for programs like Deaf/Blind with Multiple Disabilities, Home and Community-based Services, and Intermediate Care Facilities for … [Read more...] about DADS Alerts: CLASS Clarification, Etc.
CMS Seeks to Improve Outpatient Quality of Care
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a final rule that restates its commitment to implementing Value Based Purchasing incentives, one of which is to improve the quality of care with Medicare in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). CMS hopes to give hospitals an incentive to improve care by tying quality of care to payments. Kerry Weems, CMS acting administrator, said "In this final rule, we are continuing to pay appropriately for care while working with … [Read more...] about CMS Seeks to Improve Outpatient Quality of Care
CMS Announces Electronic Prescribing System
As the stereotype goes, physicians' handwriting is notoriously illegible. Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new electronic prescribing system designed to eliminate medication errors caused by people misreading handwritten prescriptions. (Source) Kerry Weems, CMS acting administrator said "more than 1.5 million Americans are injured every year by drug errors. E-prescribing lets providers know—up front—their patients’ medication history and the … [Read more...] about CMS Announces Electronic Prescribing System
CMS Reports Pay-for-Performance Pilot Success
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced last week that a pilot pay-for-performance program, which pays doctors based on quality of care, has lowered costs "in some cases" and improved quality of care for patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and diabetes. According to CMS, four of the 10 groups participating in the program reduced costs to patients and CMS spending by $17.4 million. Kerry Weems, acting administrator for CMS, said, "We are … [Read more...] about CMS Reports Pay-for-Performance Pilot Success
CMS Set to Base Medicare Hospital Reimbursements on Quality of Care
Yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed to change the way it pays Medicare reimbursements to hospitals. (Kaiser Network) CMS seeks to reduce payments by a flat rate (2 percent to 5 percent) to create an "incentive payment pool" for hospitals that meet quality of care thresholds. According to CQ HealthBeat, the plan would create a "Value-Based Purchasing Program." Under this program, a hospital's diagnosis-related group reimbursements would be based on quality … [Read more...] about CMS Set to Base Medicare Hospital Reimbursements on Quality of Care
Cooperation Key to Nursing Home Quality Improvements
Mary Ousley, past chair of the American Health Care Association, which represents long term care providers, testified before a congressional committee last week about the long term care profession’s experience with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA ‘87). OBRA '87 is considered landmark legislation because it established many nursing home oversight rules in place today. Ousley said that in order to improve nursing facilities, providers, regulators, and consumers must … [Read more...] about Cooperation Key to Nursing Home Quality Improvements
Payment Reforms for Inpatient Hospital Services
In an effort to improve the accuracy of payment under the acute care hospital inpatient prospective payment system and give hospitals incentives to improve quality, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a new rule. From the press release: Medicare’s inpatient rates for operating expenses will increase by 3.3 percent in FY 2008 for those hospitals that report quality data to CMS. Overall, the proposed rule is estimated to increase payments to more than 3,500 acute … [Read more...] about Payment Reforms for Inpatient Hospital Services
Medicare News Roundup
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made a series of announcements about Medicare: 1. Payment rates for home health services will increase by 3.3 percent for 2007. The acting administrator for CMS said this increase will “reward home health agencies who continue to report quality data and also provides beneficiaries with access to more affordable oxygen equipment.†(Source) 2. CMS also announced a final rule for Medicare payments for hospital outpatient services … [Read more...] about Medicare News Roundup
More Money for Doctors Reporting Quality of Care Data
Physicians who provide care to Medicare patients with chronic conditions will have an incentive to do more paperwork. The Kaiser Network reports that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will begin a three-year pilot program that will pay physicians to report quality of care data. An excerpt: The three-year program will begin next year in 800 small- or medium-sized practices in Arkansas, California, Massachusetts and Utah. During the first year, physicians will be paid for … [Read more...] about More Money for Doctors Reporting Quality of Care Data