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Category Archives: Current Affairs

Missouri’s Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Attestation Now Open

Missouri’s Medicaid EHR Incentive Program is now accepting attestation information. As of June 1, eligible professionals and hospitals can apply for Medicaid incentive payments.

For those already registered with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the next step is to set up an account on MO HealthNet’s secure website, and follow the instructions. Over 45 hospitals and 350 professionals have already registered with CMS. Worksheets are posted on the Web site to help providers gather the needed information to demonstrate eligibility for the program, including patient volume and EHR certification. Providers are encouraged to utilize the worksheets to calculate payments and to ensure you have all the required information needed to apply for the incentive program.

MO HealthNet will offer demonstrations of the new system during weekly webinars throughout June, beginning the week of June 6th. Those session dates will be posted on MO HealthNet’s Web site and are a perfect opportunity to become more familiar with the system and to ask questions. Those who need one-on-one support with the process can access phone consultation service (866) 879-0109.

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Posted on Jun 06, 2011

Rural Hospital’s Conference Information

The 2011 Rural Hospital Conference was held on June 2, 2011.

Click here for the agenda.

Activities Worksheet for Grant Writing NOSORH

Goal Worksheet for Grant Writing NOSORH

Posted on May 12, 2011

Missouri Health Connection Enters Technical Service Provider Negotiations

Missouri Health Connection, formerly known as the Missouri Health Information Organization (MHIO), Missouri’s state-designated entity to oversee the development of a statewide health information exchange, announced after an extensive national bid process, the board’s unanimous decision to enter into contract negotiations with Cerner Corporation as the technical service provider for the project. 

 “Entering negotiations with Cerner brings us one step closer to creating the Missouri exchange that will improve public health and patient care, reduce costs, empower consumers and create jobs.  We look forward to negotiations with Cerner and then getting to work on building a secure, integrated health system model that coordinates care across a currently fragmented system,” said Raul Recarey, president of Missouri Health Connection. 

Missouri Health Connection has been awarded $13.8 million in federal funding to underwrite the planning and implementation process for Missouri’s statewide health information exchange (HIE) that will ensure patients, providers, physicians, hospitals and other health care organizations have access to critical medical record information in order to improve patient care and increase efficiency.  The effort will also create more Missouri jobs; and, it will help ensure Missouri physicians, hospitals, and other providers qualify for additional incentives that could infuse nearly $400 million into the Missouri economy.

Missouri Health Connection is a public-private non-profit organization overseen by a board of directors including members from state government, private health care organizations, private practice physicians, professional organizations, and consumer advocacy groups.

For information on the Medicaid and Medicare EHR incentive programs, EHR adoption, or how the MO HIT Assistance Center helps health care providers adopt and achieve meaningful use of certified EHRs, please visit the Missouri Health Information Technology Assistance Center Web site, E-mail us, or call us toll-free 1-877-882-9933.

Posted on May 09, 2011

Rural Kansas Doc Leads the Way in EHR Certification

Dr. Jen Brull, a family practice physician in the tiny western Kansas town of Plainville has become what is thought to be the first physician in Kansas — if not in the country — to be federally certified for using electronic health records.

Being certified for “meaningful use” of EHRs by the federal Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology qualifies Brull for up to $44,000 in Medicare-based incentives over five years and $63,750 over six years through Medicaid.

“Achieving meaningful use was a natural extension of the benefits I have already seen after implementing an EHR three years ago,” Brull said. “My patients receive better care, my practice has grown financially and I am personally more satisfied since converting to electronic medical records.”

Read more here.

Posted on May 09, 2011

Plan for Pre-Existing Condition Patients

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) is administered by either your state or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and provides a health coverage option for children and adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia who have been locked out of the health insurance market because of a pre-existing condition. This transitional program will continue until 2014 when Americans, regardless of their health status, will have access to affordable health insurance when the nation transitions to a new marketplace. The eligibility criteria for PCIP are:

  • A U.S. citizen or residing here legally
  • Uninsured for at least the last six months
  • Have a pre-existing condition, or have been denied health coverage because of a health condition

For more information and how to apply, go to “Find Your State” at www.pcip.gov and click on your state from a map of the United States or select a state from a drop-down menu for information about how to apply. You can also call a toll-free line at: 1-866-717-5826 (TTY 1-866-561-1604). The Call Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. A brochure is also available.

Posted on May 02, 2011

National Women's Health Week

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will celebrate National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) May 8-14, 2011.  In conjunction with NWHW, National Women’s Health Check-Up Day will be celebrated on May 9, 2011, to encourage women to use the many high-quality preventive care services available to them at the Nation’s health centers.

Many national, regional, state and local organizations are already on board to ensure as many women as possible are reached during NWHW.  As front-line health care workers and communicators, you are uniquely positioned to play a critical role in this important national health awareness campaign.  There are many ways to participate.  You can host a health fair during the week of May 8-14, or partner with local providers to offer women in your community free health services, such as blood pressure checks, Pap tests, mammograms, diabetes screenings, or HIV testing.

NWHW offers yet another opportunity to increase direct health care services to those most in need. Free promotional and educational materials are available here.

National Women’s Health Week was extremely successful in 2010, resulting in more than 2,200 events and health screenings nationwide.  Please join us again this year to help thousands of women take steps toward leading healthier lives.

Posted on Apr 05, 2011

EHR Success

A new section on the MO HIT Assistance Center’s Web site, called “On the Road to EHR Success,” is featuring the story of Dr. Burton D. Cox, Sr.of Poplar Bluff.  It explains why Dr. Cox says he is a better physician because of EHR implementation.  Cox’s story illustrates how EHR success is not limited by computer/technology inexperience, age, or long-established work routines. 

“On the Road to EHR Success” profiles Missouri health care professional who currently use EHRs.  Health care providers from different parts of the state, different health care settings and different areas of practice talk about their own experiences with the adoption and use of EHR technology. 

To view Cox’s story, visit the MO HIT Assistance Center Web site, On the Road to EHR Success.  Find out more about how the MO HIT Assistance Center helps Missouri health care providers adopt and achieve meaningful use of certified EHRs by clicking here. Or contact the MO HIT Assistance Center by E-mail or call toll-free 1-877-882-9933.

Posted on Jan 31, 2011