The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a webinar on Getting Started with the Quality Payment Program: An Overview of MIPS for Small, Rural, and Underserved Practices on Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 1 – 2:15 pm. This webinar will help small, rural, and underserved practices participate in the MIPS portion of the Quality Payment Program. The presentation will cover eligibility, participation options for 2017, and an overview of the four performance categories. Learn more and register here.


The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center) will host a webinar to discuss various aspects of the Advancing Care Coordination through Episode Payment Models (EPMs); Cardiac Incentive Payment Model; and Changes to the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model final rule on Thursday, Feb. 9,  from noon – 1 p.m.  The final rule is effective on Feb. 18. For additional information about Episode Payment Models, please visit the Episode Payment Models web page.


NCHICA, the North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance, is planning a one-day workshop on Feb. 15, 2017 to discuss the status of the Affordable Care Act, MACRA, NC Medicaid and Health Information Exchange. The workshop will be held at the Research Triangle Foundation in RTP. Look for more details next month!


The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is hosting a call on “Understanding and Promoting the Value of Chronic Care Management Services” on Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 1:30 to 3 pm. CMS experts will discuss the benefits of providing Chronic Care Management (CCM) services and changes for CCM in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule. To register or for more information, visit MLN Connects Event Registration.


Save the date: March 30. The NC Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance (NCHICA) will hold a Health Policy Workshop. Topics to be covered include: MACRA, the NC Medicaid transition, the NC HIEA and the future of the Affordable Care Act. Registration will open shortly. Watch the NCMS Bulletin for details.


Wake AHEC will present a course titled “Improving Provider Communication + Self-Care = Thriving Practices and Patients” on May 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the William Friday Center in Chapel Hill. Learn more and register here.


MAHEC, working with the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, The Governor’s Institute on Substance Abuse and Project Lazarus: A Project of CCNC, is offering A Guide to Rational Opioid Prescribing for Chronic Pain, an online education course. The course is designed for all prescribing health care practitioners who are interested in an overview of the rational prescribing approaches for persons with chronic pain disorders. It will fulfill the North Carolina Medical Board’s requirement of at least one hour of continuing education designed specifically to address prescribing practices for chronic pain management. The course cost is $15 for the first 6 months. Offers 3 hours of AAFP, AMA/AAFP Equivalency, and CDE; www.mahec.net/opioid


NCTracks has Computer-Based Training (CBT) courses on a variety of topics available to providers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Anyone who is a registered user with NCID access to the NCTracks secure Provider Portal can access and take a self-paced course. A list of courses available can be found here and under Quick Links on the NCTracks Provider Training page of the public Provider Portal.