Every day providers encounter obstacles while planning effective treatments for oncology patients. Some of it is caused by the intractable nature of the disease, but a lack of access to data is a significant problem as well. Despite the fact that Big Data exists, the average practice doesn’t have access to it, adversely impacting patient Read more…
In the News
What You Can Expect From Trumpcare
Welcome back from your coma. What did you miss? Beyoncé released a perfect masterpiece of an album, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, oh and Donald Trump is now the president of the United States of America. Throughout his campaign, President-elect Trump has taken a variety of stances on a number of topics regarding Read more…
Physicians have Four Pathways for 2017
In July, CMS hinted at the possibility of a MACRA delay or some restructuring of the proposed rule to decrease the burden of compliance. On September 8, CMS explained this flexibility. The final ruling is expected to be available in November. Here is what we know so far: – The compliance date has not changed. On January 1, Read more…
Caution : False Claim Penalties Double as of August 1, 2016
The False Claims Act (FCA), also called the “Lincoln Law”, is a federal law that imposes liability on persons and companies who defraud governmental programs The Department of Justice has almost doubled the penalties under the FCA. As of August 1, the minimum penalty for each false claim will increase from $5,500 to $10,781, and the Read more…
State files Lawsuit to Block Insurance Mergers
Justice Department has filed a preliminary injunction to block mergers involving the country’s top health insurance companies. Four of the top five insurances by market share had announced plans to merge in 2016. This included Aetna with Humana, Anthem with Cigna. UnitedHealth Group, the largest by market value, is not involved in the proposed mergers. Read more…
MIPS Delay is on the Cards
It seems that when it comes to MIPS, CMS is willing to entertain the possibilities of a delayed start & shorter reporting periods. On July 13, at the congressional hearing on the Medicare Access and Chip authorization act, CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt did not rule out the possibility of a MIPS delay. Originally, MIPS was Read more…
How to Protect Yourself against Ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that infects a computer and restricts users’ access to it until a ransom is paid to unlock it. It does not only target individuals but also organizations and enterprises including healthcare. In the last few months, there has been a string of ransomware attacks in healthcare facilities across US. Read more…
Mandatory E-prescribing Law goes into Effect this Sunday
In New York all medical providers must fully transition to e-Prescribing by March 27, 2016, or face penalties under the I-STOP Law. This means that all medications dispensed in NY, including prescriptions for legend drugs and schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances, be transmitted electronically to the pharmacy via a certified e-prescribing or Read more…
Tax Write-Offs: What Physicians Need to Know Before April 18
It’s tax season again, which seems an even colder season than winter for many of us. Physicians, especially, can feel a chill in the air this time of year as they attempt in vain to get ready for April 18th. Between taking care of their patients and trying to comply with the many different tax Read more…
Everything You Need to Know About Meaningful Use Hardship Exemptions in 2016
The deadline to apply for a Hardship exemption has been extended. Physicians will be able to submit their applications until midnight Eastern Time on July 1. CMS has stated that it will broadly grant hardship exemptions as a result of delayed publication of stage 2 meaningful use modification rule, which left physicians with insufficient time Read more…