November 3, 2008 News Headlines

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has canceled the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) videoconference briefing that was scheduled for Wednesday, November 6 at HANYS’ offices and other locations across the state. In making the cancellation, CMS notified HANYS and other associations across the country that it is cancelling all RAC outreach presentations due to a “RAC protest and a stay of performance.” HANYS will provide members more details as they become available. Contact: Edward McGill

DNV Healthcare Inc.’s hospital accreditation program, National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations (NIAHO), will host two Webconferences on Thursday, November 6 providing hospitals an overview of the program and an opportunity to ask questions of NIAHO staff. The Webconferences are free and hospitals can register online.

NIAHO has also developed a Frequently Asked Questions document that provides an overview of its accreditation components and sample pricing information. HANYS has been in contact with NIAHO staff to learn more about the program and help answer member questions. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently approved NIAHO to become a new hospital accreditation organization and has met all of the CMS requirements to deem hospitals in compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation. Contact: Christa Christakis

The 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule includes details of the Medicare bonus payments for physicians who electronically prescribe in 2009. Physicians could earn an incentive payment of 2.0% of their total allowable Medicare charges.

The bonus payments for electronic prescribing are required as part of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331). The law also temporarily eliminated a deep cut scheduled for physician payments in 2009, replacing the cut with a 1.1% update through 2009.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) described the capabilities required of a qualified e-prescribing system as:

• enabling the physician to communicate with the patient’s pharmacy;
• helping the physician identify appropriate drugs and provide information on lower cost alternatives for the patient;
• providing information on formulary and tiered formulary medications; and
• generating alerts about possible adverse events, such as improper dosing, drug-to-drug interactions, or allergy concerns.

Under the Medicare bill, bonus payments for electronic prescribing will ultimately be ratcheted back through 2013 and payments under the Medicare program will be cut beginning in 2011 for physicians who fail to electronically prescribe. Contact: Kevin Krawiecki