Advocacy “Did You Know?” March 8, 2024

New from the NCMGMA Advocacy Committee, we are featuring a weekly digest, “Did You Know?” spotlighting important healthcare advocacy news and events. Keep checking back and subscribe to NCMGMA News to stay current on all the latest updates!

Northwest AHEC
Managing Difficult Patient Situations
Online Self-Paced Learning

Many practice settings are experiencing angry, hostile, and even aggressive behavior from patients, parents, caregivers, and others. This course is designed for health care practice teams who interact with patients and other customers. The background and context of the problem are reviewed, and evidence-based practical tips, suggestions and resources are provided.

This is a self-paced, interactive online module that can be completed from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Available Credits

• 1.0 Hours Contact Hours
• 1.0 Contact Hours from Northwest AHEC

Learn More and Register Today

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Southern Regional AHEC
Collaborative Care Model Training Series
Online Self-Paced Learning

Southern Regional AHEC is excited to announce the release of modules 14 and 15 in the CoCM Training Series

Module 14: Collaborative Care in Perinatal Populations
Speaker: Lori Raney, MD, Faculty Psychiatrist at MAHEC Center for Psychiatry and Mental Wellness
This webinar will cover the adaptations to the collaborative care model necessary for successful implementation in the perinatal population. It will cover the roles of the key team members including the OB/GYN, behavioral health care manager (BHCM) and the psychiatric consultant. Specific adaptations for the BHCM will be discussed in detail. Diagnostic consideration for different diagnoses seen in pregnancy and postpartum will be described and the screening tools to consider.

Module 15: Improving CoCM Quality Using Technology
Speakers: Nathaniel A. Sowa, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor & John N. Copeland, MD, MPH
In this session, participants will learn about how technology can facilitate implementation and maintenance of a high-quality CoCM program. The course will demonstrate different ways that patient registries can be utilized to monitor patient progress, as well as fidelity to the treatment model. Construction and use of data dashboards that facilitate monitoring of program quality metrics will be examined. A brief description of how technology can be incorporated into the CoCM workflow to gather patient reported outcomes will demonstrate ways to utilize technology solutions to improve program efficiency and patient engagement.

Click on the blue button below to register for the CoCM Training Series, including modules 1-15. When you click “REGISTER” on the webpage, you will be asked to log in to your MyAHEC account or create one. Once you register for any one module, you are registered for the entire series.

CoCM Training Series Registration

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Information on the Change Healthcare Cyber Response

Updated as of March 7, 2024. UnitedHealthcare will provide updates as more information becomes available.

Change Healthcare works across the health system to make clinical, administrative and financial processes simpler and more efficient for payers, providers and consumers. Change Healthcare has experienced a cybersecurity issue, and we have multiple workarounds to ensure provider claims are addressed and people have access to the medications and care they need. The following page is a resource for UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare, Optum and Change Healthcare stakeholders. In addition to being a main source for the latest business and information updates, this page also contains links to other resources to support stakeholders in managing any related impacts.

Visit the Response Page

March 28th Webinar: NCMGMA Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Survey Review

March Lunch & Learn Webinar
NCMGMA Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Survey Review

Thursday, March 28 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EST | Zoom

Data Matters. Join us on Thursday, March 28th to hear Tracey Martin, Partner and CPA with Bernard Robinson & Company (BRC), detail 2023’s North Carolina-specific NCMGMA Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Survey highlights. Tracey will address important KPIs and year-over-year salary trends.

It is essential healthcare practices review their complete compensation package annually (wages, salaries, benefits) to help attract and retain exceptional employees. By ensuring market-based competitiveness and maintaining internal equity, practices are more likely to retain their valued employees. Due to the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, healthcare practices continue to witness shifts in historical compensation practices.

During this webinar participants will:

• Hear the current state of healthcare compensation within North Carolina.
• Learn to use survey data to update and validate current compensation/recruitment practices for the following areas:
  • Salary Administration.
  • Nursing.
  • Benefits.
  • Office Staff.
  • Laboratory and Radiology.
• Hear additional KPIs and year-over-year trends based on data gathered through NCMGMA’s highly respected annual Medical Employee Salary & Benefits Survey.

Webinar Speaker

Tracey Martin
Partner and CPA, BRC
Tracey is a partner and CPA in the Wilmington office of BRC. She applies her knowledge and practical ideas to meet client needs from both a business and tax perspective. Tracey works primarily with medical practices, professional service groups and high net worth individuals. She also leads BRC’s client accounting service line, focusing on providing outsourced accounting and CFO advisory services to clients.

Registration

This webinar is free but you must be registered to attend. Space is limited so register early! After you register, you will receive an emailed confirmation with webinar and phone-in instructions. Please check your spam/junk folder if you do not see the confirmation email after you register.

Register for the March 28th Webinar

Continuing education credit may be granted through your professional organization (MGMA, PAHCOM, AHIMA, etc.). Please self-submit for these organizations.

Questions

For questions or more information please contact the NCMGMA offices at info@ncmgm.org.

NCMGMA-NCMS January 9th Webinar: 2024 Legislative Landscape

January Lunch & Learn Webinar
2024 Legislative Landscape

Tuesday, January 9 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST | Zoom

Presented by the North Carolina Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) and the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS), join us on January 9th for our Lunch & Learn Webinar. This webinar will provide a legislative update concerning healthcare issues in 2024.

Registration is open and there’s no cost to RSVP so sign up today!

Webinar Speaker

John Thompson
Vice President, Advocacy
North Carolina Medical Society
John Thompson recently joined the NCMS as the Vice President of Advocacy. He directs NCMS engagement in state legislative matters and activities, as well as works with our stakeholder organizations and individuals to advance the Society’s priorities.

Before joining the NCMS, Thompson served as the Vice President of Government Relations for the North Carolina Healthcare Association where he led advocacy efforts before the North Carolina legislature. He secured a multi-billion dollar Directed Payment Plan (HASP) for hospitals, helped negotiate Certificate of Public Need reform, and was successfully involved in negotiation on Medicaid expansion. Prior to that, Thompson owned the public policy consulting firm, The Paratum Group in Raleigh and was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, stationed at Fort Brag for 5 years. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University.

Registration

This webinar is free but you must be registered to attend. Space is limited so register early! After you register, you will receive an emailed confirmation with webinar and phone-in instructions. Please check your spam/junk folder if you do not see the confirmation email after you register.

Register Online Today

Continuing education credit may be granted through your professional organization (MGMA, PAHCOM, AHIMA, etc.). Please self-submit for these organizations.

Questions

Please contact the NCMGMA offices at info@ncmgm.org.

Enrollment Open for NC AHEC’s Practice Manager Bootcamp

The 2024-2005 Practice Manager Bootcamp provides online classes designed to give you an overview of the basic knowledge and skills a practice manager needs to succeed. Those who would benefit from this program are:

• New practice managers
• Experienced practice managers seeking to learn new skills or update their knowledge on individual course/module topics
• Administrative and clinical practice staff that have or planning to assume leadership responsibilities
• Practice staff that are being transitioned into an eventual practice manager role

Click here for a printable flyer

Advocacy “Did You Know?” November 29, 2023

New from the NCMGMA Advocacy Committee, we are featuring a weekly digest, “Did You Know?” spotlighting important healthcare advocacy news and events. Keep checking back and subscribe to NCMGMA News to stay current on all the latest updates!

Application Deadline Extended: Making Care Primary (MCP) Model

In response to stakeholder feedback, CMS has extended the application deadline for the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model by two weeks; the new deadline for application submission is Thursday, December 14 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

The MCP application is non-binding and should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. Eligibility requirements and additional model details can be found in the Request for Applications (RFA). To support interested applicants in their decision-making, CMS has published an Example Revenue Factsheet which compares potential revenue under Medicare fee-for-service to potential revenue under MCP. Please visit the model webpage for additional resources.

MCP will launch July 1, 2024, in eight states: Colorado, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Upstate New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Washington, and will operate over a 10.5-year period. This model aims to strengthen coordination between patients’ primary care clinicians, specialists, social service providers, and behavioral health clinicians, to drive improved chronic disease prevention, fewer emergency room visits, and better health outcomes.

For questions about the Making Care Primary Model, please reach out to MCP@cms.hhs.gov. To stay up to date on upcoming model announcements, events, and resources, sign up for the Making Care Primary Model listserv.

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Special Topic Webinar

RSV, Syphilis, Electronic Birth Registration
Monday, December 4 | 6 p.m.

Please join us for this webinar on December 4 designed for clinicians who provide care for pregnant people. During this webinar, North Carolina public health experts will provide new information on three important topics:

• Launch of NC’s new electronic birth registration system
• Stemming the tide of congenital syphilis
• Providing RSV vaccination during pregnancy

Register for Special Topic Webinar

Did you know that all of the materials from our webinar series are archived on ncahec.net? Visit our website to view the recordings, slide decks, and transcripts from Medicaid Managed Care, Advanced Medical Home, and COVID-19 webinars, as well as the Tailored Care Management and Community Health Worker Program learning collaboratives.

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Medicaid Managed Care Virtual Office Hours

Provider Hot Topics
Thursday, December 7 | 5:30 p.m.

Join us on Thursday, December 7 at 5:30 p.m. as we discuss provider hot topics and important reminders!

Register for the Medicaid Managed Care Virtual Office Hours

Advocacy “Did You Know?” November 16, 2023

New from the NCMGMA Advocacy Committee, we are featuring a weekly digest, “Did You Know?” spotlighting important healthcare advocacy news and events. Keep checking back and subscribe to NCMGMA News to stay current on all the latest updates!

Reminder: 2023 MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) Registration is Open until November 30

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVPs) registration window is open for the 2023 performance year. Individuals, groups, subgroups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entities that wish to report an MVP can register until November 30, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET.

For the 2023 performance year, MVPs are a new, voluntary way to meet MIPS reporting requirements. Each MVP includes a subset of measures and activities that are related to a specialty or medical condition to offer more meaningful participation in MIPS.

• Visit Explore MVPs to review the available MVPs finalized for the 2023 performance year.
• Not sure how you’ll report for MIPS in 2023? You can learn more about the MVP reporting option on the QPP website.

Prepare for MVP Registration

Before you register, you’ll need to have the following items identified:

• The MVP you plan to report.
• Whether you plan to administer the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) for MIPS Survey, if it’s a quality measure option in your selected MVP.
• Whether you want to be evaluated on an outcomes-based administrative claims quality measure, if it’s a quality measure option in your selected MVP.
• The population health measure you would like to be evaluated on:
  • 2023 Hospital-Wide All-Cause Unplanned Readmission Measure (ZIP, 703KB) or
  • 2023 Clinician and Clinician Group Risk-standardized Hospital Admission Rates for Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions (ZIP, 0.98MB)
• The participation option you plan to use: group, subgroup, individual, or APM Entity.
• For those selecting the subgroup option, Subgroup Name. This is the name that would be used for public reporting on the compare tool on Medicare.gov.*

*We’ll begin publicly reporting subgroup-level performance information in the 2024 performance year. We won’t publicly report subgroup-level performance data submitted for the 2023 performance year.

How to Register

Individual, group, and subgroup MVP registrations must be submitted by a representative of the practice with the QPP Security Official role. APM Entity MVP registrations must be submitted by a representative of the APM Entity with the QPP Security Official role. Please refer to the QPP Access User Guide (ZIP, 4.03MB) for information about obtaining a Security Official role for your organization.

To register, you’ll need to complete a form providing all the information required for your MVP and, if applicable, subgroup registration. The 2023 MVP Registration Form can be found in the 2023 MVP Registration Form and Fact Sheet (ZIP, 334KB).

You’ll email your completed registration to QPP@cms.hhs.gov with the subject “MVP Registration”. We’ll create a ticket with the QPP Service Center, where a dedicated team will manage your registration.

*Note: If the CAHPS for MIPS Survey is an available measure in your selected MVP and you wish to administer it as 1 of your 4 required measures, you should have completed both your MVP registration and a separate CAHPS for MIPS Survey registration by June 30, 2023.

Additional Resources

• 2023 MVP Registration Form and Fact Sheet (ZIP, 7.54MB)
• 2023 MVPs Implementation Guide (ZIP, 2.32MB)
• Prepare for MVP Registration Webpage
• 2023 MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) Registration Demo

Learn About the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model

Making Care Primary (MCP) Model:
Special November Webinar Sessions and Applicant Resources

We are pleased to announce two opportunities for practices to learn more about the Making Care Primary (MCP) model, the new voluntary primary care model out of the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) Innovation Center:

North Carolina Office Hours | November 20 at 6 p.m.
NC Academy of Family Physicians, NC AHEC, NC Medical Society, North Carolina Medical Group Management Association, and the NC Community Health Center Association will co-host a session with Nicholas Minter, MPP, Director of the Division of Advanced Primary Care, Patient Care Models Group at the CMS Innovation Center. He will provide a brief presentation and then take questions from North Carolina practices that have applied or plan to apply for the MCP model. In addition to the live Q&A, attendees are able to submit questions in advance by emailing practicesupport@ncahec.net. Register now by clicking here!

National Office Hours | November 21 at 2 p.m.
The MCP team will be holding a National Office Hours webinar at 2 p.m. that will include a live Q&A. Attendees will also be able to submit questions in advance by registering here. Please note this will be the final Office Hours event before the application portal closes on November 30 at 11:59 p.m.

View MCP Applicant Resources & Quick Links

MCP will launch July 1, 2024, in eight states: Colorado, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Washington. It will operate over a 10.5-year period. This model aims to strengthen coordination between patients’ primary care clinicians, specialists, social service providers, and behavioral health clinicians, to drive improved chronic disease prevention, fewer emergency room visits, and better health outcomes.

For questions about the Making Care Primary Model, please reach out to MCP@cms.hhs.gov. To stay up to date on upcoming model announcements, events, and resources, sign up for the Making Care Primary model listserv. For additional questions related to NCMGMA, reach out to info@ncmgm.org.

Advocacy “Did You Know?” November 1, 2023

New from the NCMGMA Advocacy Committee, we are featuring a weekly digest, “Did You Know?” spotlighting important healthcare advocacy news and events. Keep checking back and subscribe to NCMGMA News to stay current on all the latest updates!

Maternity Coverage and Service Reimbursement Updates

NC Medicaid is implementing changes due to Session Law 2023-14 and to implement additional clinical best practices for maternity care.

More Information

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NC AHEC Practice Support

Screening and Intervening for Unmet Social Needs
Online Self-Paced Learning

Everyone deserves to live their healthiest life. Unmet social needs impact health outcomes more than clinical interventions. The National Academy of Medicine, Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services and the World Health Organization have long advocated that screening for these needs be integrated into clinical settings but barriers exist. This course provides tools, resources and recommendations to support practice teams to screen and facilitate intervening to meet these needs. Click here for a printable flyer.

More Information and Registration

November 14th Webinar: Aetna State Health Plan + Clear Pricing

Aetna State Health Plan + Clear Pricing

Tuesday, November 14, 2023
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EST | Zoom

Join us on November 14th for NCMGMA and NCMS’s November Lunch & Learn with Aetna representatives who will be covering general Aetna Network information with a focus on the State Health Plan and a run through of the Clear Pricing Project (CPP).

Webinar Speakers

Jason Keibler
Executive Director and Network Head
Aetna
Jason is responsible for overall provider network strategy, composition, contracting, performance and provider relations in the Carolinas.

Gina Furlow
Lead Director, Network Management
Aetna
Gina is responsible for contracting and servicing providers including health systems, ancillaries and physician groups in North Carolina.

Linda Cecarelli
Executive Director, State Health Plan Network Lead
Aetna
Linda is the Network lead for the State Health Plan, responsible for provider-facing aspects of the implementation plan, including the Clear Pricing Project.

Registration

This webinar is free but you must be registered to attend. Space is limited so register early! After you register, you will receive an emailed confirmation with webinar and phone-in instructions. Please check your spam/junk folder if you do not see the confirmation email after you register.

Register Online

Continuing education credit may be granted through your professional organization (MGMA, PAHCOM, AHIMA, etc.). Please self-submit for these organizations.

Questions

Please contact the NCMGMA offices at info@ncmgm.org.

Advocacy “Did You Know?” October 25, 2023

New from the NCMGMA Advocacy Committee, we are featuring a weekly digest, “Did You Know?” spotlighting important healthcare advocacy news and events. Keep checking back and subscribe to NCMGMA News to stay current on all the latest updates!

2023 MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) Registration is Open Until November 30

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVPs) registration window is open for the 2023 performance year. Individuals, groups, subgroups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entities that wish to report an MVP can register until November 30, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET.

For the 2023 performance year, MVPs are a new, voluntary way to meet MIPS reporting requirements. Each MVP includes a subset of measures and activities that are related to a specialty or medical condition to offer more meaningful participation in MIPS.

• Visit Explore MVPs to review the available MVPs finalized for the 2023 performance year.
• Not sure how you’ll report for MIPS in 2023? You can learn more about the MVP reporting option on the QPP website.

Learn More

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United Healthcare Fall Series of Educational Boot Camps

Designed for Physicians, Practice Managers and Staff
Learn more about our Digital Tools, Community Plan of NC, Advance Medical
Home, Population Health Services, Home Health and More!

Workshop Days, Times and Registration

November 14th, 2023 – 8:45am – 1:30pm (Register)
November 16th, 2023 – 8:45am – 1:30pm (Register)

Printable Flyer