CMS permits practice administrators to register and attest for EMR meaningful use
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published their new policy permitting third parties to register and attest for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive program on behalf of eligible professionals (EPs). Under this program, EPs are eligible for up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program and up to $63,750 over six years under Medicaid. MGMA strongly advocated to persuade CMS to permit practice administrators to register with the agency on behalf of the practice’s EPs. CMS requires users registering or attesting on behalf of an EP to have an Identity and Access Management System (I&A) Web user account that must be associated with the EP’s National Provider Identifier. Practice administrators that do not have an I&A Web user account can create one on the CMS Website.
Another Bandaid for the SGR issue
The House of Representatives just passed the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010 (H.R. 3962) by a vote of 417 to 1. This legislation contains provisions that block the 21.3 percent cut to Medicare physician payments until Nov. 30. The Senate passed identical legislation late last week. The president is expected to sign the bill into law shortly. Practices will then see a 2.2 percent increase to Medicare physician payment for claims with dates of service from June 1 through Nov. 30.
Why can’t the Obama Administration get this right and fix the underlying reimbursement problems asociated with the SGR? With the large number of uninsured that will now be insured under the new Obamacare plan we will need all healthcare providers, MDs, RNs, PAs, etc. in the sytem and productive to meet the increased demand anticipated. Any reimbursement changes that have the impact that the SGR could, would drive providers out of the sytem in great numbers. Let’s fix the SGR problem once and for all.
