Medical Practice News
« Previous EntriesNew Balance Billing Patients Rule in California
Thursday, October 16th, 2008As of October 15, 2008, there is a new California state rule that bars hospitals and doctors from billing patients for the balance of emergency treatment not paid by insurance companies. Hospitals and physicians are contesting this new law and California Supreme Court will be hearing another ‘balance bill’ challenge next month.
According to the [...]
CMS Recruits Qualified Clinical Data Registries
Thursday, July 31st, 2008Physicians who plan to use a clinical data registry to submit data for CMS’ 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, or PQRI, need to act quickly to ensure that their registry meets CMS criteria and is deemed a qualified and established registry.
Merger Spells e-Prescribing Success for FPs
Thursday, July 31st, 2008Effective July 1, RxHub and SureScripts, the nation’s two largest electronic prescribing, or e-prescribing, networks, consolidated their operations to become SureScripts-RxHub. The merger forms a “single, secure nationwide network” for e-prescriptions and bodes well for family physicians.
Google Offers Consumers Online Health Record Access
Thursday, July 31st, 2008Google Inc., familiar to millions of people around the globe as an Internet search vehicle, recently launched a Web-based health information service called Google Health that allows consumers to create online health accounts they can use to collect and store their personal health information.
Low Physician EHR Adoption Rates a Concern
Thursday, July 31st, 2008A recently released study examining physicians’ use of electronic health records, or EHRs, in the United States concluded that just 4 percent of physicians have an extensive, fully functional EHR at their fingertips. Another 13 percent of physicians reported that they were using a basic EHR.
Register Now to Access 2007 PQRI Practice Data in July
Thursday, July 31st, 2008CMS has issued a call to all physicians anxious to review their 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, or PQRI, quality measures data: Register now with CMS’ security system so that access to the reports will be quick and easy when they become available in mid-July.
HHS Hikes Value of Mental Health Services in Medicare
Thursday, July 31st, 2008Family physicians treating seniors for mental health disorders, such as depression, recently got a pay raise from the federal government.
N.Y. Initiative Couples Payment and Practice Reform
Thursday, July 31st, 2008A medical home pilot project under way in New York state is the first such pilot in the country to link primary care practice reform with fundamental changes in physician payment methodology. Data gathered from the project could “ultimately — hopefully — save primary care,” according to Brian Morrissey, VP of strategy and development for [...]
Restructured Medicare DME Program Launches July 1
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008Barring congressional action, phase one of a competitive bidding program for Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies, or DMEPOS, is set for implementation on July 1 in 10 areas of the country.
DEA Proposes Rules for e-Prescribing Controlled Substances
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008Proponents of electronic prescribing were encouraged recently when the DEA proposed regulations that would allow e-prescribing of controlled substances. If adopted, the new regulations would give physicians and other prescribers the option of adding Schedule II drugs to the other medications they routinely prescribe electronically.
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