The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Provider Communications Group will host a national provider conference call on the 2010 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program (eRx). This toll-free call will take place from 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., EDT, on Tuesday, August 17, 2010.
The PQRI is voluntary quality reporting program that provides an incentive payment to identified individual eligible professionals (EPs), and beginning with the 2010 PQRI, group practices who satisfactorily report data on quality measures for covered Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) services furnished to Medicare Part B Fee-For-Service (FFS) beneficiaries.
The PQRI was first implemented in 2007 as a result of section 101 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA), and further expanded as a result of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (MMSEA), and the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA).
The eRx Incentive Program is an incentive program for eligible professionals initially implemented in 2009 as a result of section 132(b) of the MIPPA. The eRx Incentive Program promotes the adoption and use of eRx systems by individual eligible professionals (and beginning with the 2010 eRx Incentive Program, group practices).
Following the formal presentation that will provide a step by step review of how to start participating in the 2010 PQRI program, a few program announcements and updates, the lines will be opened to allow participants to ask questions of CMS PQRI and eRx subject matter experts.
A PowerPoint slide presentation will be posted to the PQRI webpage at: http://www.cms.gov/PQRI/04_CMSSponsoredCalls.asp, on the CMS website for you to download prior to the call so that you can follow along with the presenter.
Educational products are available on the PQRI dedicated web page located at: http://www.cms.gov/PQRI , on the CMS website, in the Educational Resources section, as well as educational products are available on the eRx dedicated web page located at http://www.cms.gov/ERxIncentive, on the CMS website. Feel free to download the resources prior to the call so that you may ask questions of the CMS presenters.