Frequently Asked Questions for the 2006 CMS Oncology Demonstration Project

Friday, February 24, 2006

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IMPAC supported the 2005 CMS Project with software that was tested and released by January 1, 2005. It allowed outpatient practices to collect $130 per IV chemotherapy patient visit, provided the clinicians answer a series of questions related to nausea, fatigue and pain.

CMS has announced a 2006 project. We are 100% committed to providing our customers with software to support this project. Below are answers to some frequently asked questions:

1. When will the software be delivered?

  • The software is currently available in Multi-ACCESS version 8.30k5. Contact IMPAC’s customer support to begin the upgrade process.
  • While IMPAC works on the EMR solution for this project, some customers can find mock-up assessment information at this URL. Note! To use this website, you must be a practice administrator and register your practice with caring4cancer.com.

2. What is the 2006 Project going to do?

  • This project will use new G-Codes to gather more information related to the Quality of Care for cancer patients. CMS is interested in knowing if the care represents ‘Best Practice’.
  • The primary focus is the Physician Evaluation and Management Code (E&M), Levels 2, 3, 4 or 5.
  • The physician must be seeing an established patient with a primary diagnosis of cancer of the breast, colon, rectum, prostate, lung, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, ovary, head and neck, chronic myelogenous leukemia, multiple myeloma, or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Services furnished for patients with other cancers will not qualify.

3. How does a physician qualify for the demonstration payment of $23?

To qualify for the oncology demonstration payment of $23, the physician must submit one G-code from each of the following three categories when an E & M of level 2, 3, 4, or 5 is billed:

  • the primary focus of the evaluation and management service;
  • the current disease state; and
  • whether current management adheres to clinical guidelines.

4. What will happen to the 2005 functionality?

The 2005 G-Codes will go away. Beginning January 1st the customer can go to the MAR and use the right-mouse click function to de-select the Enable CMS Quality of Care Demonstration Project.

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©2006 IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc.

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