Our Blog
all about rural
- December 1, 2011
CMS’ New Medicare EHR Incentive Program Guide for Eligible Professionals
Read moreCMS has created a new comprehensive tool, An Introduction to the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for Eligible Professionals, to help guide EPs through all of the phases of the Medicare EHR Incentive Program—from eligibility and registration to attestation and payment. Chapters provide information on: EHR Incentive Program basicsHow to...
00 - November 30, 2011
Free Webcast: Health Outcomes Among Children and Families Living in Rural Communities, December 1st and 2nd
Read moreThe National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) will be broadcasting a multi-agency rural health research conference intended to identify gaps in research that address emerging differences between health outcomes for children and families living in rural communities compared to those in urban areas. This conference will...
- November 29, 2011
Updated Information on CQM: NQF # 0084: Heart Failure: Warfarin Therapy Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
Read moreCMS suggests eligible professionals participating in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs not select NQF 0084: Heart Failure: Warfarin Therapy Patients with Atrial Fibrillation as one of their additional clinical quality measures (CQMs) for meaningful use. As there are other FDA-approved medications available for use as an anticoagulant,...
- November 29, 2011
Next Steps for Federal Deficit Reduction
Read moreWith the failure of the Super Committee to reach agreement, mandatory budget cuts via sequestration are scheduled to begin January 2013. Under sequestration, Medicare provider reimbursement is subject to up to a 2% reduction from 2013-2021 while Medicaid and Social Security will not be reduced by sequester. Many issues...
- November 23, 2011
Report from the HPSA/MUA Negotiated Rulemaking Committee
Read moreIn 2010, Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius created a 28-member negotiated rulemaking committee to review criteria for the designation of Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) and Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). The Director of Colorado’s Primary Care Office Steve Holloway served on this committee. HPSA and MUA designations...
- November 22, 2011
CHI Releases Portrait of Colorado’s Nursing Workforce
Read moreIn its recently released report titled Colorado’s Nurse and Nurse Aide Workforce: A Portrait, the Colorado Health Institute (CHI) brings together findings from three surveys that it conducted between 2006 and 2008 on certified nurse aides, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses. Click here to download the report.
- November 22, 2011
5010 HIPAA: 90 day Enforcement Discretion Period
Read moreLast week, CMS announced a “90 day Enforcement Discretion Period” related to the 5010 HIPAA standard transactions. It is important to note that this is not delaying the federally mandated start date of January 1, 2012! However, it does give CMS the ability to enforce compliance in the first...
- November 21, 2011
Update on Super Committee
Read moreProspects look dim that the Super Committee will reach an agreement to reduce the nation’s deficit by $1.2 trillion over the next ten years. Lawmakers are already looking ahead to required sequestration, to begin in January 2013, that would cut $1.2 trillion from the federal budget over ten years...
- November 18, 2011
New Deadlines Announced for Advance Payment Model
Read moreLast month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced a new Advance Payment Model for physician-based and rural Accountable Care Organizations selected to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The selected ACOs will receive advance payments that will be recouped from the shared savings they earn. Organizations...
- November 18, 2011
New Series on Primary Care Workforce Stats
Read moreThe Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Center for Primary Care, Prevention and Clinical Partnership will be issuing a “Facts and Stats Series” on primary-care topics on primary care’s workforce, capacity and growth needs. While a foundational element of the country’s healthcare system, primary care is struggling under increasing...
