The Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence (CCME) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are partnering to offer a Physician’s Quality Reporting System (PQRS) assistance program. The NCMS urges its members to take part in the program, as it will help physicians avoid the penalties associated with electronic health record (EHR) system implementation. Services offered by CCME to practices using a PQRS-certified EHR are free and give providers the opportunity to earn a 0.5 percent bonus based on their Medicare Part B allowed charges.

CCME will assist practices to track their quality data collection and provide support in effectively using these measures for quality improvement. If you are using one of the 20 EHRs qualified to report PQRS data with the EHR option, contact Kristin Ferriter, CCME Care Improvement Specialist, at 800-682-2650 or [email protected] to enroll in the program and for additional information.

Members can also contact Terri Gonzalez, NCMS Practice Technical Assistance Coordinator, at 919-833-3836 or [email protected] for any questions regarding health information technology (HIT).