Avicenna Medical Blog

Care Management Weekly News Update -1/9/18

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Jan 10, 2018 @ 12:36 PM

CMS Proposes Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment Increase

Payers in Medicare Advantage (MA) may soon see a change to its risk adjustment model that will take into account mental health, substance use disorder and chronic kidney disease and makes adjustments “to take into account the number of conditions an individual beneficiary may have."

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Care Management Weekly News Update -12/27/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Dec 27, 2017 @ 12:04 PM

Congress Delays Decision on CHIP Renewal Until Next Year 

For 20 years, the state-run Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has provided medical, dental and vision coverage for children in families who earn too much for Medicaid but don’t have or can’t afford private insurance. Now, families will have to wait until next year to find out if funding for the program will continue, New York magazine reports.

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Care Management Weekly News Update -12/19/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Tue, Dec 19, 2017 @ 03:12 PM

Medicare Pays Primary Care Doctors More for Managing Chronic Conditions

To attract more doctors to primary care, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has taken a two-pronged approach to reform Medicare payment systems for those physicians: paying more for managing care for patients with chronic conditions.

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Care Management Weekly News Update -12/12/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Thu, Dec 14, 2017 @ 09:17 AM

More Billing Codes, Demonstrations Help Bridge Physician Payment Gap

A new Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) report analyzed how CMS has expanded billing codes and demonstrations focused on supporting primary care. The report said primary care providers (PCPs) involved in CMS demonstrations are getting higher monthly payments.

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Care Management Weekly News Update -12/6/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Dec 06, 2017 @ 10:10 AM

How Public Health Agencies Can Navigate HIPAA to Integrate Data-Driven Chronic Disease Interventions

Utilizing data housed in EHR systems has become a critical function for public health agencies looking to make an impact on pockets of chronic disease within a community or state. As those agencies explore opportunities to integrate high-quality patient data into outreach efforts, they also have to navigate longstanding privacy requirements outlined under HIPAA.

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Care Management Weekly News Update -11/28/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Tue, Nov 28, 2017 @ 03:09 PM

CMS, AMA Look for Common Ground on Remote Patient Monitoring

Fans of remote patient monitoring found a lot to like in new payment rules released last week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, continuing what many hope is a trend toward CMS support for mHealth and telehealth technology. Beginning in 2018, CMS will support clinicians who leverage remote monitoring tools, such as wearables and smart devices at home, and use patient-generated health data in care coordination and...

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Care Management Weekly News Update -11/21/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Tue, Nov 21, 2017 @ 03:06 PM

Patient-Centered Medical Home Model Improves Chronic Disease Management

Data from more than 800 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) primary care clinics revealed that national implementation of a patient-centered medical home model was effective at improving several chronic disease outcomes over time.

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Care Management Weekly News Update -11/14/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Nov 15, 2017 @ 03:05 PM

Panelists Discuss Telehealth Potential for Primary Care

Telehealth in the form of video consults is well-suited to value-based payment models, panelists said, because the technology is structured for patient interaction, CPT codes are available and the amount of physician time can be recorded easily.

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Care Management Weekly News Update -11/7/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Tue, Nov 07, 2017 @ 03:08 PM

Telehealth Fills Void When Weather Emergencies Disrupt Normal Provider-Patient Experience

In the midst of torrential flooding and winds that destroyed homes and displaced thousands of people along Texas’ Gulf Coast and parts of Florida during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, telehealth was a lifeline for people needing nonemergency care. Telehealth vendors provided free consultations, monitored patients and refilled prescriptions as governors in Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South...

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Care Management Weekly News Update -11/1/17

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Nov 01, 2017 @ 11:09 AM

Hospitals Step In To Help House The Homeless. Will It Make A Difference?

Hospitals in Sacramento, California, and around the country are taking steps to help homeless people find housing. Doing so, they say, will limit unnecessary ER visits and reduce wasteful health care spending.

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