Healthcare Business Management Association - HBMA
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March - April 2017 •
Volume 22, Issue 2
What’s in a Name?
President's Message
By Michelle Durner, CHBME, HBMA President
By now you’ve likely heard that HBMA now stands for the Healthcare Business Management Association. Billing. Business. Does it matter? We could argue that changing the name does not affect what HBMA is or what it does. As was the case with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, I believe that we would be incorrect to do so. Click for more

SOUND OFF!
HBMA Members Sound Off on Important Topics
By Billing Editors
What Have You Done to Educate Your Providers on MACRA? Click for more

HBMA News
News from Around the World of HBMA
By Billing Editors
HBMA Announces Name Change; Save the Dates and Register for HBMA 2017 Compliance Symposium and HBMA 2017 Legislative Fly-in Hill Day Click for more

You're Ready for MACRA and MIPS: Is Your Billing Agreement?
Main Feature
By Robert Burleigh
Billing agreements between billing companies and their clients have evolved considerably over the 25 years I’ve been reviewing, editing, and developing them. The most significant changes came along in 1998, when compliance became a major factor. Click for more

Modernizing Medicare with the QPP
Keeping Medicare’s Promise to Families Today and Tomorrow
By Kate Goodrich, Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS), US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Blling managers are uniquely positioned to support clinicians in succeeding under the new program. For example, you can assist physician and other clinical practices in... Click for more

Medicare’s New Quality Payment Program
Feature Story
By Cynthia Brown, Vice President, Government Affairs, American Medical Association
The first performance reporting period under the new Medicare physician payment system created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) began on January 1, 2017. At first glance, the new payment system, known as the Quality Payment Program (QPP), appears extraordinarily complex. Click for more

Claims vs. Registry Reporting Options for Merit-Based Incentive Programs
An Overview to Help Your Clients Choose the Best Option for Them
By the MIPS Committee
Informed choices on the best reporting mechanisms for individual providers and groups are key steps in successful reporting. Different criteria apply to the various reporting choices, and one method may be more successful than another depending on the unique characteristics of the reporting entity or individual. Click for more

Survey Shows Independent Practices Want to Participate in MACRA
Feature Story
By Lea Chatham, Editor, Kareo’s Go Practice blog
When MACRA was approved as a replacement to Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), it was clear that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) was seeking a clear path to move more reimbursement to value-based care instead of fee-for-service. Click for more

Choosing a Capable Registry for QPP Success
Practical Advice to Pick the Right Registry for Your Organization
By Dan Mingle
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) is driving healthcare delivery and payment reform across healthcare provider organizations, Medicare, and other government and commercial payors. On October 14, 2016, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published the final rule for the Quality Payment Program (QPP) that implements key features of this law. Click for more

2017 Brings CCI Policy Changes
Coding Corner
By Jackie Miller, RHIA, CCS-P, CPC
The National Correct Coding Initiative Policy Manual for Medicare Services (usually referred to as the “CCI Manual”) contains explanations of the coding policies on which the CCI edits are based. Some of the guidelines are general and high-level, while others... Click for more

Working with Spreadsheet Tabs, Part 1
Organization Increases Efficiency and Ease of Mind
By Nate Moore, CPA, MBA, CMPE
Spreadsheet tabs are a great way to organize spreadsheet data. Tabs can hold data on months, locations, physicians, and more. This article will introduce the basics of working with tabs – we will insert, delete, and name tabs. Click for more

Selecting Employees to Ensure a Winning Team
Considering Best Practices for Hiring is Always Worth the Effort
By Dave Jakielo, CHBME
I‘m sure you have been told – and you understand – that you’ll only be successful if you surround yourself with the right people. The difference between a poor performing and a high performing billing company isn’t due to the technology, physical plant, or billing software – it’s having the right people that make a difference. Click for more

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