CMS & Palmetto/J1MAC News

The following information has been received by ANCO.


****CMS NEWS****
2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative
National Provider Question & Answer Session

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Provider Communications Group will host the eighth in a series of national provider conference calls that began in November of 2007 on the 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). This toll-free call will take place from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., EST, on Thursday, November 20, 2008.

Following a short presentation, the lines will be opened to allow participants to ask questions of CMS PQRI subject matter experts.

Educational products are available on the PQRI dedicated web page located at,http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI on the CMS website, in the Educational Resources section. Feel free to download the resources prior to the call so that you may ask questions of the presenters, Dr. Michael Rapp and Dr. Daniel Green.

Conference call details:

Date: November 20, 2008
Conference Title: 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative National Provider Call
Time: 1:30-3:30 p.m. EST

In order to receive the call-in information, you must register for the call. It is important to note that if you are planning to sit in with a group, only one person needs to register to receive the call-in data. This registration is solely to reserve a phone line, NOT to allow participation. If you cannot attend the call, replay information is available below.

Registration will close at 1:30 p.m. EST on November 19, 2008, or when available space has been filled. No exceptions will be made, so please be sure to register prior to this time.

To register for the call participants need to go to: http://www2.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/112008

Fill in all required data.

Verify your time zone is displayed correctly the drop down box.

Click "Register".

You will be taken to the “Thank you for registering” page and will receive a confirmation email shortly thereafter. Note: Please print and save this page, in the event that your server blocks the confirmation emails. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check your spam/junk mail filter as it may have been directed there.

For those of you who will be unable to attend, a replay option will be available shortly following the end of the call. This replay will be accessible from 2:30 p.m. EST 11/20/2008 until 11:59 p.m. EST 11/27/2008. The call in data for the replay is (800) 642-1687 or (706) 645-9291 and the passcode is 69793299.

If you require services for the hearing impaired please send an email toMedicare.TTT@PalmettoGBA.com.


****PALMETTO/J1MAC NEWS****
Laboratory National Coverage Determination (NCD) Edit Software for October 2008
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/Providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Jurisdiction%201%20Part%20B~Articles~Lab~Laboratory%20National%20Coverage%20Determination%20(NCD)%20Edit%20Software%20for%20October%202008%20?opendocument

This article is based on Change Request (CR) 6213 which announces the
changes that will be included in the October 2008 release of the edit
module for clinical diagnostic Laboratory National Coverage Determinations
(NCDs). The last quarterly release of the edit module was issued in July
2008. CR 6213 incorporates all changes from July 2008 to the present and
has no other changes.

New 2008 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Payment Rates Effective for
Dates of Service July 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/Providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Jurisdiction%201%20Part%20B~Publications~Fee%20Schedules~New%202008%20Medicare%20Physician%20Fee%20Schedule%20(MPFS)%20Payment%20Rates%20Effective%20for%20Dates%20of%20Service%20July%201,%202008,%20through%20December%2031,%202008%20?opendocument

CMS directed Palmetto GBA to revert back to the 0.5 percent payment rates
that were previously in place until June 30, 2008, and to use those rates
through December 31, 2008. Those same rates were to be used for January 1
through June 30, 2008, to make payments, where appropriate, to Ambulatory
Surgical Centers (ASCs) for services rendered from July 1 through December
31, 2008. This reflects a continuation of the payment policy for
brachytherapy services and priced amounts and the prospective rates for
other ASC services. CMS also provided revised fees for selected mental
health codes that had an increase in their fee schedule amounts. The
effective date for the increase for the mental health codes was for dates
of service on and after July 1, 2008.

NPI Crosswalk Issues
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/Providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Jurisdiction%201%20Part%20A~EDI~General~NPI%20Crosswalk%20Issues?opendocument

Palmetto GBA has prepared an informative article on the steps you should
take if you receive error message “Y1K- BILLING PROVIDER SSN OR EIN NOT ON
CROSSWALK” on your GPNet Response Report.

2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative National Provider Question &
Answer Session
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/Providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Current%20News~2008%20Physician%20Quality%20Reporting%20Initiative%20National%20Provider%20Question%20Answer%20Session?opendocument

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Provider Communications
Group will host the eighth in a series of national provider conference
calls that began in November of 2007 on the 2008 Physician Quality
Reporting Initiative (PQRI). This toll-free call will take place from 1:30
pm - 3:30 pm, EST, on Thursday, November 20, 2008.