CMS asks that you share this important information with all of your association members and State and local chapters. Thanks! Happy Friday everyone! Information items this afternoon include: New From the Medicare Learning Network Announcement of New Fee-for-Service Provider Partnership Email Archive System Third Quarter 2008 Hospital OPPS Pricer Downloads Updates on the Medicare Part B Drug Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP) Response to FQHC Question Raised on the 9/3/08 Special Open Door Forum on DMEPOS Accreditation " MIPPA 2008 Guidance CMS Caregiver Events Update Flu Shot Reminder (yes, it's that time of the year again!) New from the Medicare Learning Network The CMS Form 1500 Web-based Training (WBT) course has been updated (July 2008) and is now available from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Learning Network. This WBT course provides information that will allow you to file Medicare Part B claims accurately and reduce your chances of receiving unprocessable rejections. To access this WBT, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mlngeninfo/ , scroll down to "Related Links Inside CMS" and select "Web-based training Modules", scroll down to "Office Management Information" to select this training. Just another reminder that the Medicare Learning Network's (MLN) Learning Management System (LMS) that hosts our web-based training courses and product ordering page will be unavailable for a period of approximately 7 to 10 days starting the week of September 22, 2008 while we perform system maintenance and upgrades. If you need MLN products or need to complete a web-based training course within this time frame, it is recommended that you do so before September 17, 2008.
Thank you for your interest in the Medicare Learning Network. If you have any questions, please send them to MLN@cms.hhs.gov. Announcement of New FFS Provider Partnership Email Archive System Effective September 1, 2008, CMS is pleased to announce the Medicare Fee-for-Service Provider Partnership email archive has been updated to make searching for provider partnership messages easier. To access the new Provider Partnership email archive system, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FFSProvPartProg/EmailArchive/list.asp on the CMS website and click on the Provider Partnership email archive tab. Once on the provider partnership email archive page, you can search for messages by date, subject, or audience. Third Quarter 2008 Hospital OPPS Pricer Downloads The Third Quarter 2008 Hospital OPPS Pricer Downloads have been updated. You may go to (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/08_OPPS.asp) to view the latest update. Updates on the Medicare Part B Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP) for Drugs and Biologicals Medicare Part B Drug Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP): "Ask-the-Contractor" Teleconference - CAP Postponement for 2009 On September 10, 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the postponement of the 2009 Medicare Part B Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP). As a result, CAP physician election for participation in the CAP in 2009 will not be held, and CAP drugs will not be available from an approved CAP vendor for dates of service after December 31, 2008. To discuss this major change to the CAP for 2009 and assist participating CAP physicians in planning for the transition out of the CAP, an "Ask-The-Contractor" teleconference for participating CAP physicians will be hosted by the CAP designated carrier, Noridian Administrative Services (NAS). NAS staff will be available to respond to inquiries during a question and answer session after the presentation. This call is intended for all interested providers and their staff. Use the following information to participate on the call: Date: September 18, 2008 at 2:00PM CST Domestic U.S. Dial In Number: 800-230-1085 U.S. Territories Dial In Number: 612-332-0923 A PowerPoint slide presentation to accompany the "Ask-the-Contractor" teleconference will be posted on the NAS website at: (https://www.noridianmedicare.com/cap_drug/train/act.html). The slides will be available at least one day prior to the teleconference. Additional information about the postponement is available on the CMS CAP website (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/.) Information for 2008 Medicare Part B Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP) for Drugs and Biologicals October 2008 CAP Drug List Update The list of drugs available under the CAP has been updated and is now available in the 'Downloads' section on the CMS CAP "Information for Physicians" page at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/02_infophys.asp. The following drug has been added to the CAP effective October 1, 2008: Vivitrol naltrexone (J2315). "CAP Physician Billing Tips" Handout for Submitting CAP Claims Now Available An updated version of the "CAP Physician Billing Tips" handout is now available. This reference contains information on the claims submission requirements for the CAP such as the CAP modifiers and other necessary elements. A copy of this document is available on the 'Information for Physicians' page on the CMS CAP website at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/02_infophys.asp Response to FQHC Question Raised on the September 3, 2008 Special ODF: DMEPOS Accreditation - MIPPA 2008 Guidance DME is not covered within the Medicare Federally Qualified Health Clinic (FQHC) benefit. All FQHC's would need to have a DMEPOS supplier number in order to bill for those separately, and go through the same process as any other DME supplier. Thus, all FQHC's billing for the products covered under the DME quality standards would be subject to the accreditation deadline of September 30, 2009 in order to continue to bill for these supplies. If you would like a list of those supplies, please go to the website at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicareprovidersupenroll there is a link on the upper left hand side of the page for DMEPOS Accreditation. Once in that site, you will find the 10 accreditation organizations, the quality standards and a Fact Sheet listing all of the covered items. CMS Caregiver Events Update There are two very important caregiver events that CMS is hosting the week on September 15. - On September 17, CMS will host a satellite broadcast entitled "Innovative Employer Caregiving Programs" that will provide employers, caregivers and human services professionals with information about successful programs for employed caregivers. The broadcast is from 1:00-2:00 pm ET. To register and find out more about the broadcast, go to: http://www.blsmeetings.net/caregivers/
- On September 18, CMS will launch the Caregiver initiative with an e-launch at 12:00 pm ET. Following the live webcast, the webpage will go live on medicare.gov. To register for this event and sign up for the newsletter (and please encourage partners and caregivers to register as well), please go to http"//www.medicare.gov/caregivers
Please help us to broaden the community of caring, and share information about both of these broadcasts with partners, members, and those who are caregivers. Flu Shot Reminder Flu Season Is Coming! It's not too early to start vaccinating as soon as you receive vaccine. Encourage your patients to get a flu shot as it is still their best defense against the influenza virus. (Medicare provides coverage of the flu vaccine without any out-of-pocket costs to the Medicare patient. No deductible or copayment/coinsurance applies.) And don't forget, health care workers also need to protect themselves. Get Your Flu Shot. " Not the Flu. Remember - Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. Note that influenza vaccine is NOT a Part D covered drug. For information about Medicare's coverage of the influenza virus vaccine and its administration as well as related educational resources for health care professions and their staff, please go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/Downloads/flu_products.pdf on the CMS website. To order, free of charge, a quick reference chart on Medicare Part B Immunization Billing go to http://cms.meridianksi.com/kc/main/kc_frame.asp?kc_ident=kc0001&loc=5 on the CMS website. | | | Downloads |
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