ASC quality scores added to Hospital Compare
Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) quality scores became public for the first time in 2016. ASCs and regulators including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) say they are pleased to have documentation of their track records. But what do the scores really mean, and how useful, exactly, are they…
CMS publishes final rule for MU reporting
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 1 published a final rule that will allow providers in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) incentive program who previously demonstrated meaningful use (MU) to report to any continuous 90-day reporting period in 2016 and 2017 rather than a…
Medicare VBP bonuses down for 2017
Editor's Note More than 1,600 hospitals will get Medicare bonuses in 2017 under the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program, which is about 200 fewer than last year, the November 2 Modern Healthcare reports. The results are concerning because fewer hospitals are getting bonuses and hospitals aren’t moving in the rankings,…
CMS releases final rule on OPPS/ASC rates
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 1 released a final rule that revises the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for CY 2017. According to the rule, hospital off-campus facilities will no longer be paid the same…
CMS adds VA hospital performance data to Hospital Compare
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on October 21 announced the addition of Veterans Administration (VA) hospital performance data to Hospital Compare. The performance data include VA satisfaction survey results as well as outcomes, behavioral health, and patient safety measures. Additional VA hospital data will be…
GAO calls for better alignment of quality measures
Editor's Note In an October 13 report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) called for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to set priorities in its effort to better align healthcare quality measures across payers and programs, and to make them truly meaningful, according to the October 14 FierceHealthcare.…
CMS publishes final MACRA rule
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on October 14 issued a final rule with comment period for implementing provisions of the new physician payment system required by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), according to the October 14 Modern Healthcare. The rule…
Medicare reimbursement rates set to rise 1.2% in 2017
Ask any group of ambulatory surgery center (ASC) administrators their greatest concern, and the most likely answer will be “reimbursement.” Specifically, they will say Medicare payments do not keep up with their costs and revenue expectations. It does not help that the rules and formulas established by the Centers for…
CMS launches new Twitter account
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on October 12 launched a new Twitter account, which will be led by the Media Relations Group in Washington, DC. @CMSgovPress will promote CMS news as it happens, offering members of the media and the public the opportunity to receive…
Joint Commission announces 2017 ORYX performance measurements
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on October 5 announced its 2017 ORYX performance measurement requirements, effective January 1. Though the Joint Commission is closely aligned with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, it has not adopted all of the electronic clinical quality measures…
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