Updated Information on CQM: NQF #0084: Heart Failure: Warfarin Therapy Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
CMS suggests eligible professionals participating in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs not select "NQF 0084: Heart Failure: Warfarin Therapy Patients with Atrial Fibrillation" as one of their additional clinical quality measures (CQMs) for meaningful use. As there are other FDA-approved medications available for use as an anticoagulant, CMS suggests this measure not be selected as one of the measures reported for the CQM objective. CMS does not expect eligible professionals to change their certified EHR systems or purchase another system to replace this measure. Eligible professionals may continue to report NQF 0084 for the 2011-2012 program years if their certified EHR system uses a module that is only certified for nine CQMs with this measure included as one of the nine. To view all 44 clinical quality measure specifications, please download the EP Measure Specifications<https://www.cms.gov/apps/ama/license.asp?file=/QualityMeasures/Downloads/EP_MeasureSpecifications.zip>. Additionally, the Guide to Clinical Quality Measures<http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/Guide_to_CQMS.pdf> provides an overview of CQMs, how to choose the appropriate CQMs for meaningful use, and how CQMs are reported during attestation. Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs? Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website<http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms> for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs. It's a Busy Time of Year. Make each office visit an opportunity to talk with your patients about the importance of getting the seasonal flu vaccination and a one-time pneumococcal vaccination. Remember, Medicare pays for these vaccinations for all beneficiaries with no co-pay or deductible. The seasonal flu and invasive pneumococcal disease kill thousands of people in the United States each year, most of them 65 years of age and older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that healthcare workers and caregivers be vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Protect your patients. Protect your family. Protect yourself. Get the Flu Vaccine-Not the Flu. Remember - The flu vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. CMS has posted the 2011-2012 seasonal flu vaccine payment limits at http://www.CMS.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/10_VaccinesPricing.asp. Note that the flu vaccine is NOT a Part D-covered drug. For more information on coverage and billing of the flu vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational provider resources, visit http://www.CMS.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp and http://www.cms.gov/immunizations. Note: If you have problems accessing any hyperlink in this message, please copy and paste the URL into your Internet browser. If you know someone who would like to subscribe to a Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) provider listserv, go to (http://www.cms.gov/prospmedicarefeesvcpmtgen/downloads/Provider_Listservs.pdf). If you would like to unsubscribe from a specific provider listserv, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?INDEX) to unsubscribe or to leave the appropriate listserv. Please DO NOT respond to this email. This email is a service of CMS and routed through an electronic mail server to communicate Medicare policy and operational changes and/or updates. Responses to this email are not routed to CMS personnel. Inquiries may be sent by going to (http://www.cms.gov/ContactCMS). Thank you.
