On July 2, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance documents on the allowance of telehealth encounters for the Eligible Professional and Eligible Clinician electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) used in CMS quality reporting programs for the 2020 and 2021 performance periods. The guidance applies to eCQMs used in the:

  • Quality Payment Program: The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs)
  • APM: Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+)
  • APM: Primary Care First (PCF)
  • Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Program for Eligible Professionals

Continue Reading CMS Releases Guidance on the Allowance of Telehealth Encounters in eCQMs

On November 4, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule with comment period (Final Rule) implementing the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). The Final Rule overhauls the methodology by which most physicians and certain other clinicians participating in Medicare will be reimbursed and marks a significant shift away from fee-for-service payments and toward value-based reimbursement. Under the Final Rule, CMS created the Quality Payment Program (QPP), which incorporates components of the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Medicare Electronic Health Record Incentive Program for Eligible Professionals (commonly known as Meaningful Use), and the Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier (VM).
Continue Reading CMS’ Final MACRA Rule Continues Transition Toward Value-Based Payments