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Month: May 2017

64% of Healthcare Providers Not Ready for MACRA Implementation

A recent survey found that adapting quality reporting systems and developing a team-based effort are top MACRA implementation challenges.
“Provider and executive worries over MACRA implementation could spell trouble for healthcare organizations that must submit at least some 2017 data to the Quality Payment Program to avoid a negative Medicare payment adjustment in 2019.” Read the full article.
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Securing data integrity at the “front door” of care delivery

Although most of the health industry has moved records and administrative processes from paper to digital, human error remains a costly issue.
People make errors. Generally speaking, this fact is collectively understood, and we make concessions when necessary, working to repair and correct when possible. However, in the health industry, human errors become more costly than the norm, ultimately impacting the well being of patients, even to the point of death. In fact, a recent study released by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine concluded that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, leading to at least 250,000 deaths every year. Read the full article.
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Expanding Beyond HIPAA Audit Prep for Information Governance

The recent AHIMA toolkit focusing on HIPAA audit preparation is a key tool for organizations, but it is just the beginning for strong data security.
“AHIMA’s IT service line is made up of all of the aspects of privacy and security, making sure it has information protection in healthcare all the way up through an enterprise level on records,” Downing said. “It also works on advancing the records management processes into more of an information governance type view, which certainly encompasses your privacy and security.” Read the full article.
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HIPAA audits unlikely to change under new administration

Providers are unlikely to see any major changes to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act audits under the Department of Health and Human Services’ new civil rights director, some experts recently predicted.
“Lessening regulation in the privacy and cybersecurity areas has not been an area that’s been addressed thus far in public statements or actions by the new administration,” Hirsch said. Read the full article.
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America’s employers play a vital role in the ‘repeal and replace’ debate

Our nation’s great health reform debate risks missing the forest for the trees.
While shoring up the individual market and ensuring Americans have access to affordable health coverage is critical, legislators now have an opportunity to address the value of the overall system. As they do, it is important to remember the critical role that employers play in our health system. Approximately 177 million Americans receive health coverage through an employer. That’s 16 times the number of people who obtain coverage through the ACA exchanges. Read the full article.
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Obamacare on the ropes, progressives push single payer in California

Progressive grassroots groups are turning their eyes west, where California Democrats are pushing a new bill that would create a statewide single-payer health care system.
“It’s a real test of whether we can be more than an email machine,” Cohen said. “Not just people signing up for things online, but instead actually building a political organization. That’s what it’s always been about. I don’t spend this kind of time as a volunteer and board chair to generate more emails.”Read the full article.
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How Accountable Care Organizations Meet Quality Benchmarks

Accountable care organizations need to overcome some major challenges such as the lack of data sharing from hospitals.
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are relatively new patient care models that can operate with either public or private health payers. Initially, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created the first accountable care organizations under the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Today, ACOs have grown in popularity and private, commercial payers are now investing in partnering with these models of care. Read the full article.
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