What are the risks for healthcare professionals speaking out on public health advocacy issues on social media? A recent research letter in JAMA discusses the types of online harassments that physicians and scientists faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzing likelihood of harassment by race, gender, sexual orientation, and other factors.

On June 8, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new voluntary primary care payment model for Medicare called Making Care Primary (MCP) that will be tested in eight states, including North Carolina. CMS is offering this model for qualified Medicare providers in North Carolina beginning in July 2024.  Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older, people under age 65 with certain disabilities and people with end-stage renal disease.

The Department of Health and Human Services is delaying implementation of the Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans.  Tailored Plan launch was scheduled for October 1, 2023, but will now go forward at a date still to be determined.

The MIPS Final Score Preview period for the 2022 performance year is now open. Small practices are strongly encouraged to sign in to the Quality Payment Program website to preview their final score based on data submitted for the 2022 performance year.

We are excited to share hot-off-the-press Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) informercials with you! The short clips allow viewers to hear directly from NC AHEC coaches, as well as practitioners, who are involved in CoCM implementation.

Our Practice Support colleagues at South Piedmont AHEC are presenting a free Lunch and Learn on the topic of Diversity and Implicit Bias.

For claims with a date of service on or after July 1, 2023, the Managed Care timely filing will be changing to 365 calendar days of covered service, or discharge, or a time period set by the health plan that is no less than 365 calendar days.

Managed Care claims with a date of service prior to July 1, 2023 still have a 180 day filing deadline.

Burke County Health Department is hosting a Community Forum event on July 12 featuring Beth Macy, the author of Dopesick, recently adapted for the HULU television series with Michael Keaton.

As temperatures continue to climb across the globe, the impact of extreme heat on public health is becoming a crucial concern.

Coming Soon: 2022 MIPS Final Score Preview

The Final Score Preview period gives clinicians the opportunity to preview their 2022 MIPS final score prior to the release of payment adjustment information. As a reminder, your 2022 final score is what will determine your 2024 MIPS payment adjustment. The Final Score Preview period will open in the coming days and will be announced via Quality Payment Program listserv.