The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriated $1.1 billion for a variety of programs to assess the strengths and weaknesses of various medical treatments. The notice, published Dec. 15 on the government's Federal Business Opportunities Web site, states, in part:
"There exist a number of databases with longitudinal claims data that could facilitate analysis of such data for CER purposes. Each, however, has limitations in its application to CER. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Integrated Data Repository (IDR), Chronic Conditions Warehouse (CCW), and Medicaid claims files (MAX) databases include data only on the Medicare and Medicaid populations; state-based all-payor, all-claims databases are limited geographically in scope and by variability in infrastructure design and state capability; private databases may include information on a more demographically diverse population, but are still fragmented and often inaccessible to researchers due to cost.
According to the notice, an all-payor, all-claims database would allow for greater power in analysis. It would ensure, the government says, that that the data infrastructure the Secretary supports will be able to produce robust analysis. "If developed well, this database would be a representative sample of the population and could be built upon over time," the notice says.
In issuing the notice, HHS cited public commentary it had accepted at FCC listening sessions, asserting that the public affirmed the value of an all-payor, all-claims database. Claims data, especially if established in a manner where it can be linked to other data over time, can be powerful a tool for CER and ultimately improve care, the department says.
The report concluded noting that HHS will award a contract for a targeted design study "to inform the creation of such a database and supporting services, methods, and skills."
CMS Issues E-Script Guidance
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has placed on its Web site a number of guidance documents about the Medicare electronic prescribing incentive program for 2010.
Providers that successfully document their use of electronic prescribing can receive a 2% bonus on all Medicare-covered Part B charges and not just charges for specific services where they reported a quality data code indicating use of electronic prescribing. The bonus will be awarded in a lump sum payment during 2011.
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