Month: November 2021

Claims Payment Transformation Benefits Payer, Providers, and Members

Claims Payment Transformation Benefits Payer, Providers, and Members

Payers, providers, and members can all benefit from transforming the manual and patchwork claims payment process to a digital environment that also automates claims data delivery. Payers, providers, and members are all central to the healthcare experience, working together to create a seamless, coordinated encounter from registration and the clinical visit to claims payment and […]
CMS Releases 2022 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

CMS Releases 2022 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized 2022 payments and policies under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). The rule includes updates to payment rates for physicians and other healthcare professionals for calendar year (CY) 2022; expands the use of telehealth for mental health; clarifies policies related to split (shared) visits, critical […]
Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth Platforms Lag Behind Competition

Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth Platforms Lag Behind Competition

  The pandemic has changed patients’ use and perceptions of healthcare organizations. The question remains: Will those changes here to stay? PATIENTS PREFER TELEHEALTH SERVICES FROM DOCTORS, HEALTH PLANS Most telehealth users accessed virtual care services through their regular doctor or health plan as opposed to direct-to-consumer telehealth platforms, according to new data from Morning […]
Providers Share Benefits of Medicare Advantage During COVID-19

Providers Share Benefits of Medicare Advantage During COVID-19

Providers’ experiences with Medicare Advantage plans’ capitated payment models, supplemental benefits, and overall influence gave them recommendations for CMS. There has been a lot of valuable conversation around the benefits that Medicare Advantage health plans can offer to consumers, but now providers have offered their perspectives on this form of health insurance in Better Medicare […]
CMS Releases Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

CMS Releases Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

  CMS says it the goal is to support health equity while focusing on high-quality person-centered care. Increased leverage of telehealth for behavioral care, diabetes prevention and mitigation, and enhanced payment for vaccine administration were three out of many priorities cited by federal officials who announced the release of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid […]
The Impact of Coding on Maternal Outcomes_ Part III

The Impact of Coding on Maternal Outcomes: Part III

Severe maternal morbidity often intersects with cesarean deliveries. Reducing the number of cesarean deliveries can lower the maternal mortality rate, and one of the drivers of cesarean rates is thought to be induction of labor (IOL). In 2014, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) adopted definitions for labor, labor induction, and augmentation of […]
The Role of Provider-Sponsored Health Plans in Value-Based Care

The Role of Provider-Sponsored Health Plans in Value-Based Care

Provider-sponsored health plans can be naturally aligned with value-based care goals while also being attuned to providers’ needs. Providence Health Assurance’s Medicare Advantage provider-sponsored health plan received a five-star rating through the CMS Medicare Advantage Star Ratings system for the 2022 Medicare open enrollment season. The health plan, which serves Oregon and Washington State, is […]