CMS News

The following information has been received by ANCO.


****CMS NEWS****
Background materials for the May 20, 2009 Special Open Door Forum: Outpatient Imaging Efficiency Measures are available for review at http://www.QualityNet.org and http://www.ImagingMeasures.com.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Special Open Door Forum:
Outpatient Imaging Efficiency Measures
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
2:00PM – 4:00PM Eastern Time (ET)
Conference Call Only

Featuring:
John Cooper, M.D. (CMS),
Mark Zezza, Ph.D. (The Lewin Group),
Thomas G. Dehn, M.D., FACR (National Imaging Associates, Inc.),
Joan DaVanzo, Ph.D. (Dobson | DaVanzo & Associates, LLC).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold a Special Open Door Forum (ODF) to discuss the development and implementation of facility-level hospital Outpatient Imaging Efficiency measures. The CMS has contracted with The Lewin Group, to develop a set of imaging efficiency measures. National Imaging Associates, and Dobson & DaVanzo are subcontracted by Lewin to support this effort.

During this Special ODF, CMS staff will discuss:

· Each of the four outpatient imaging efficiency measures currently required under the Hospital Outpatient Quality Data Reporting Program
(HOP QDRP) for CY2010 payment determination;
· Highlight some frequently asked questions;
· New Outpatient Imaging Efficiency measures under development.

Afterwards, there will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions.

To make the call as informative as possible, we recommend that participants:
· Visit the QualityNet (http://www.QualityNet.org) and Choose “Imaging Efficiency Measures” under “Hospital – Outpatient” and also http://www.ImagingMeasures.com ;
· Pre-submit any questions you wish to have addressed on the call to Imaging.Measures@lewin.com. Please type “Question for National Open Door Forum” in your Subject line. The most frequently asked questions received by 5 pm ET on Thursday, May 14, 2009, will be addressed on the call. Submitted questions not selected for the call will be answered individually via e-mail reply.

We look forward to your participation.

Special Open Door Forum Participation Instructions:

Dial: 1-800-837-1935 Conference ID 94281978

Note: TTY Communications Relay Services are available for the Hearing Impaired.

For TTY services dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-855-2880. A Relay Communications Assistant will A Relay Communications Assistant will help.

An audio recording of this Special Forum will be posted to the Special Open Door Forum website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/05_ODF_SpecialODF.asp and will be accessible for downloading beginning May 29, 2009.

For automatic emails of Open Door Forum schedule updates (E-Mailing list subscriptions) and to view Frequently Asked Questions please visit our website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/opendoorforums/ .

Thank you for your interest in CMS Open Door Forums.


2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program (E-Prescribing) National Provider Call PowerPoint Presentation is now available

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased to announce that the PowerPoint presentation that will be used during the May 20th, 2009 PQRI and E-Prescribing National Provider call is now available on the CMS website.

This presentation provides an update on the Quality Data Code (QDC) Error Report; tips for satisfactorily reporting a Measures Group in the 2009 PQRI; and frequently asked questions on E-Prescribing.

To access the presentation, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI/04_CMSSponsoredCalls.asp., scroll down to the Downloads section and select the “National Provider Call - May 20, 2009” link.