Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

You have until Jan. 31 to self-nominate your practice for this designation, but know the requirements first.

Large groups that would like to participate in CMS's new PQRI group practice reporting option have just a few weeks left to self-nominate their practices. That's according to a Jan. 12 CMS-sponsored PQRI national provider call.

CMS is seeking self-nominations by Jan. 31 for the group reporting option, also referred to as "GPRO." "This is designed for large groups; typically they're multi-specialty, although they don't necessarily have to be," said CMS's Daniel Green, MD, during the call. "We're looking for groups that have 200 eligible professionals participating in the group, and all practice under one TIN (taxpayer identification number)."

In addition, potential GPRO participants must have an active Individuals Authorized Access to CMS Computer Services (IACS) account, agree to attend all training sessions, and must have billed Medicare Parts A and B on or after Jan. 1, 2009 and prior to Oct. 29, 2009, according to a fact sheet on the process on the CMS Web site.

The GPRO program also includes additional requirements for applicants (for instance, specific software must be installed on their computers) which are available at

www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI/Downloads/GPRO_SelfNominationRequirements_111009.pdf.

EHR vendor nominations: CMS is using the same deadline of Jan. 31 for EHR vendors to self-nominate. "In 2011, CMS will be qualifying EHR vendors, and particularly their products, to be able to report quality measures data to PQRI via their EHRs," Green said during the call, so any EHR vendors that wish to selfnominate for 2010 testing to qualify for 2011 PQRI reporting should check CMS's Web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/pqri.

PQRI report access: If you're looking for a PQRI report from your MAC, you've got a chance of collecting one type of report, but not all. Eligible professionals can call the MAC for their individual NPI level PQRI report, but you cannot contact the MAC for your TIN report, said CMS's Regina Chell during the call.

For more on this topic, read MLN Matters article SE0922, available at www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/se0922.pdf.