Stories with related Professional Interests

Supporting Fair APM Payments: AMA Backs Accounting for Social Determinants of Health - 01/02/2020

Alternative payment models (APMs) are considered a key part of the future of value-based care. But for them to be successful, the American Medical Association says, APMs need to be fair, which means adjusting for the circumstances that make physicians’ cost and care challenges unique.

An Unfair Game: Quality Payment Program Rules Still Stacked Against Physicians - 01/02/2020

What the Quality Payment Program (QPP) lacks in simplicity, it makes up for in deck-stacking. After three years of physician participation, Medicare’s quality program to drive value-based care continues to generate confusion, frustration, and worry that it’s only going to swallow up more physicians in its complex and financially punitive gameplay.

Quality Care Pilot Takes Flight - 09/03/2019

How one children's clinic uses a targeted program to dramatically improve care, lower costs.

Faulty Guidelines - 06/03/2019

Former Texas Medical Association President Josie Williams, MD, was tenacious in advocating that organized medicine pay zealous attention to two topics: data and guidelines. In this, she was both sage and prescient. We have done well in following her recommendations on data, but we continue to fall far short of where we need to be on guidelines.

Blue Cross Says MOC Not Needed for BlueCompare - 05/30/2018

Physicians across the state reacted strongly to a March 5 letter from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCSTX) that implied the state’s largest insurance company is now using maintenance of certification (MOC) to rate physicians. That was not the intent, the company’s president says.

Register Now for the Texas Quality Summit - 04/24/2018

This fall, TMA is hosting a unique event to help you improve performance, increase efficiency, and continue to deliver high-quality care. Join your colleagues for the Texas Quality Summit Nov. 18–19, and get the latest resources and hands-on training to take your practice to the next level. Register now, as seating is limited.

Register for the Texas Quality Summit - 04/24/2018

This fall, TMA is hosting a unique event designed to help you improve performance, increase efficiency, and continue to deliver high-quality care. Join your colleagues for the Texas Quality Summit Nov. 18–19, and get the latest resources and hands-on training to take your practice to the next level. Register now, as seating is available to a limited number of participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

TMF Offers Resources to Navigate CMS Requirements - 04/20/2018

TMF has launched three physician-focused networks designed to save time, improve patient care, and reduce costs associated with meeting these requirements. These programs, focused on immunizations, behavioral health and value-based improvements, are designed to help physicians benefit from—and not be penalized by—these mandates.

Registration Open for the Texas Primary Care and Health Home Summit - 04/20/2018

This year’s Texas Primary Care and Health Home Summit will be the fifth annual statewide conference focused on expanding access to high-quality, person-centered primary care for Texans and their families. Sponsored by TMA, the summit will offer stakeholders the opportunity to learn about innovative primary care models, including the health home. Attendees will become conversant with best practices for innovation in primary care and will have opportunities to interact with program experts at various stages of implementation. Register now to attend the summit May 11–12 at the Sheraton Gunter in San Antonio.

Tips on How to Report Data on Quality Measures for MACRA - 04/19/2018

Tips from TMA to help you determine which reporting mechanism will best fit your practice for the first Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance period in 2017.

Last Chance to Register for this Weekend's Texas Quality Summit - 04/19/2018

Limited seats remain for this weekend's Texas Quality Summit, co-hosted by the TMA Council on Health Care Quality and the American College of Medical Quality (ACMQ). The meeting takes place in Austin at the TMA building in the Thompson Auditorium.

TMF Announces 2016–17 Physician Practice Quality Improvement Award - 04/19/2018

Physician practices continue to make great strides in providing reliable preventive services by using health information technology and effective care management methods. TMF Health Quality Institute wants to recognize practices for their hard work. TMF is once again sponsoring the Physician Practice Quality Improvement Award program.  

Don't Miss the Texas Primary Care and Health Home Summit - 04/19/2018

Today is the last day to register for the fourth annual Texas Primary Care and Health Home Summit June 9–10 at the JW Marriott in Houston. The event, presented by the Texas Medical Home Initiative and Texas Health Institute and cosponsored by TMA, provides a learning laboratory for primary care transformation in Texas.

Get Paid to Reduce Heart Attacks and Strokes - 04/19/2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services wants to enroll 720 practices in the Million Hearts: Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Model. This new value-based payment model supports the national Million Hearts initiative, which aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes.

Help Shape Medicare's Quality Measure Development Plan - 04/19/2018

TMA wants to hear from physician members about the draft Quality Measure Development Plan recently posted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Review the plan and submit your comments to Angelica Ybarra, TMA director of clinical advocacy, by Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Texas Primary Care and Health Home Summit Is June 9-10 - 04/19/2018

The fourth annual Texas Primary Care and Health Home Summit will take place June 9-10 at the JW Marriott Houston Galleria.

TMF Launches Physician Practice Quality Improvement Award - 04/19/2018

Physician practices continue to make great strides in providing reliable preventive services by using health information technology and effective care management methods. We think these practices should be recognized for their hard work. TMA, the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association (TOMA), and TMF Health Quality Institute have partnered again to offer the Physician Practice Quality Improvement Award program.

TMF Offers Help Navigating Medicare Requirements - 04/19/2018

Physicians looking for free help navigating the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requirements for the Physician Quality Reporting System, meaningful use, and value-based payment modifier programs can benefit from three networks from the TMF Quality Innovation Network Quality Improvement Organization.

Preview Your Quality Performance Scores Before They Become Public - 11/15/2017

CMS is giving you or your group practice the chance to preview your performance scores before they're published on the Physician Compare website for all the world to see.

MACRA: Propose Your Own Physician-Focused Payment Model - 02/15/2017

Have you been reading up on the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the new Quality Payment Program? Are the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System and advanced alternative payment models (APMs) not good fits for your practice and specialty? If they’re not, consider proposing your own physician-focused payment model. Register today to learn about this opportunity and how to submit a strong proposal.

Confused About Quality Reporting? Get Help From TMF and TMA - 02/14/2017

Reporting deadlines for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), Value-Based Payment Modifier, and meaningful use programs are fast approaching. This data submission timeframe is happening at the same time CMS is rolling out the new Quality Payment Program, Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), and advanced alternative payment models required by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). Are you confused about the alphabet soup of quality reporting? If so, get help from the TMF Quality Innovation Network and TMA Practice Consulting.

MACRA: Review Your Options for Medicare's New Quality Payment Program - 02/07/2017

The first performance period for the new Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and alternative payment models (APMs) under the new Medicare Quality Payment Program began on Jan. 1. Review your participation options to avoid payment penalties and to potentially earn bonus payments in 2019.

Texas Quality Summit Confronts the Changing Face of Medicine; Register Now - 12/05/2016

For many practices to remain successful, especially in a post-MACRA environment, effective population health management is now a primary focus. To help physicians advance quality care as a core value of their practice, with an eye toward the future of accountable care, TMA developed the interactive 2016 Texas Quality Summit.

ICD-10 Update Creates Problems for PQRS Reporting, Value Modifier - 10/20/2016

As if physicians don't have enough headaches and hassles to deal with to keep their practice doors open, the latest news from the American Medical Association is not good. It turns out the Oct. 1 ICD-10 update will negatively affect some physicians who participate in quality reporting for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) and Value-Based Payment Modifier (VM) programs. To determine whether the update affects your specialty, review the list of affected quality measures.

TMA PracticeEdge-Built ACOs Open for Business - 06/23/2016

Congratulations to East Texas Regional Accountable Care Collaborative (Nacogdoches), UPSA ACO (San Antonio), Alliance ACO (rural central Texas and Kerrville), and Houston Regional ACO, all of whom kicked off their new value-based contracts on Jan. 1. Combined, these physician-led accountable care organizations (ACOs) working with TMA PracticeEdge represent more than 250 physicians and approximately 40,000 patient lives. All of these groups are accepting new physician members, and the TMA PracticeEdge team is recruiting physicians who want to set up commercial ACOs for a July 1, 2016, start date or the 2017 Medicare Shared Savings Program.