ACCC, ASCO, CMA, CMS, & Palmetto/J1MAC News

The following information has been received by ANCO.


****ASCO NEWS****
The American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO) e-News was published today and is available online at http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe6b15787064007c7515&m=ff2d16787160&ls=fdf712797765047476177577&l=fe6315757666067a7d14&s=fdf2157972640d79751d7073&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe26167173650d74701272. ANCO is a state/regional affiliate of ASCO. This edition features:

Deadline to Receive a Discounted Registration Rate for the 2009 GI Cancers Symposium: Dec. 12

Cancer Policy Alert: Congress Likely to Take Up Additional NIH Funding After Recess; Prepare for Coding Changes in the New Year

Read the Newest JCO Original Report on a New Chemical Entity that Arrests Cancer Cells

Check Out the Newest JOP feature, "Continued Regulatory Actions Affecting the Use of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents (ESAs)"

Letters of Intent Submission-Deadline Extended to Dec. 11 for the 2009 ACRAs

Application Deadline Approaching for the 2009 IDEA Grant

Application Deadline Approaching for the 2009 ASCO Loan Repayment Program, Funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

Application Deadline Approaching for the 2009 Translational Research Professorship

Early Registration Deadline Approaching for the 2009 GU Cancers Symposium

Review the ASCO State/Regional Affiliates Calendar of Events

Cancer.Net Features: Traveling With Cancer

Cancer.Net Features: Evidence-based Medicine in Cancer Care

Cancer.Net Podcasts: Cancer and the Holidays


****CMA NEWS****
The Association of Community Cancer Center's (ACCC) This Week At ACCC was published today and is available online at http://www.accc-cancer.org/mediaroom/newsletters/media_ACCCNEWSLETTER_12-08-2008.html. ANCO is an Institutional Member of ACCC. This edition features:

A Few Seats Still Available for ACCC's Hospital Summit: at Only $169, Don't Miss It!

Hospitals See Continuing Profit Decline on Medicare Patients, Says MedPAC Staff

Study Finds Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for ESAs Associated with Increased Need for Blood Transfusion

Men with Wives, Significant Others More likely to be Screened for Prostate Cancer

Q&A on ACCC's Listserv: Position Description for a Radiation Oncology Nurse

Save the Date: March 18-21, 2009, ACCC's 35th Annual National Meeting

ACCC's CE Blackboard: Breast Cancer Concepts

Take Our Survey: Oncology Issues and ACCC's Website

State Medical Oncology Societies Host Membership Meetings


****CMA NEWS****
The California Medical Association's (CMA) Alert was published today and is available online at http://www.calphys.org/html/news.asp. It features:

CMA Sponsors Bill to Stop Unfair Health Insurance Cancellation

It's Time to Make Medicare Participation Decisions for 2009

CMA Supports Regulations to Reduce Diesel Emissions

Superior Court Upholds DMHC "Balance Billing" Regulation

CMA RICO Victory: HealthNet Sends Contract Addendums to Physicians

Deadline to Request CPPI Quality Data Is 12/16

State Will Take Up Family PACT Issue with New Administrator

Benefit of the Week: Group Dental Insurance


****CMS NEWS****
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Provider Communications Group will host the ninth 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 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., EST, on Tuesday, December 16, 2008.

Following a short presentation on the final PQRI 2007 reporting experience and a discussion of results from 2007, 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: December 16, 2008
Conference Title: 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative National Provider Call
Time: 3:30-5:00 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 3:30 p.m. EST on December 15, 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/121608

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 4:00 p.m. EST 12/16/2008 until 11:59 p.m. EST 12/23/2008. The call in data for the replay is (800) 642-1687 and the passcode is 76618434.

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


The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased to announce that two (2) new educational resources on the 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) have been posted to the PQRI webpage on the CMS website.

2009 PQRI Quality Measure List- This reference list outlines the 153 quality measures which were published in the in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) 2009 final rule on November 19, 2008. To access the 2009 PQRI Quality Measure list, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI/15_MeasuresCodes.asp#TopOfPage on the CMS website. Once on the Measure/Codes page, scroll down to the “Downloads” section and click on the “2009 PQRI Quality Measures List” link.

The detailed measure specifications will be available on this webpage on or before December 31, 2008.

Registry Requirements for Submission of 2009 PQRI Data on Behalf of Eligible Professionals- This document describes the high-level requirements for a registry to qualify to submit under the registry-based reporting alternatives for 2009. This document also outlines how a registry can become qualified for 2009 data submission. To access the Registry Requirements for Submission of 2009 PQRI Data on Behalf of Eligible Professionals document, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI/20_Reporting.asp#TopOfPage on the CMS website. Once on theReporting page, scroll down to the “Downloads” section and click on the “Registry Requirements for Submission of 2009 PQRI Data on Behalf of Eligible Professionals” link.

To qualify to submit data on behalf of eligible professionals seeking incentive payments for 2009, registries are required to go through a self-nomination and vetting process if they are new to PQRI registry reporting or to notify CMS of their desire to continue PQRI data submission in 2009 if they were qualified in 2008. Selected registries must meet certain technical and other requirements specified by CMS.

Detailed information on the 2009 PQRI, including the 2009 Registry Requirements, may be found in the final 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rule with comment period (73 FR 69817 through 69847) that was published in the Federal Register on November 19, 2008. The final rule with comment period can be found in the “Related Links Outside of CMS” section of the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative website at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-26213.pdf on the CMS website.


The Medicare Learning Network (MLN) is pleased to announce the availability of the Advanced Practice Nursing & Physician Assistants (APN/PA) web page. This dedicated web page is for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) advanced practice nurses and physician assistants who provide services to Medicare beneficiaries.

From this web page, you will be able to access and peruse the Medicare FFS program topics in order to keep abreast of policy and operational updates specific to Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants.

One of the educational resources featured on this webpage is the "Advanced Practice Nurse/Physician Assistant Web-Based Training Program" – this interactive web-based training program provides definitions of the Advanced Practice Nursing/Physician Assistant provider types; outlines the qualifications of the Advanced Practice Nursing/Physician Assistant provider types; describes collaboration/supervision requirements for Advanced Practice Nursing/Physician Assistant Medicare reimbursements; lists the Medicare billing requirements for Advanced Practice Nursing and Physician Assistants; and identifies links to Medicare manuals and other resources.

This web page is updated on a regular basis, so check it often for timely and reliable information from MLN.

For more information, visit the web page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/70_APNPA.asp#TopOfPage on the CMS website.


****PALMETTO/J1MAC NEWS****
Medicare Part B Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP): CAP Claims
Submission Deadlines and Unused CAP Drugs
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Current%20News~Medicare%20Part%20B%20Competitive%20Acquisition%20Program%20(CAP):%20CAP%20Claims%20Submission%20Deadlines%20and%20Unused%20CAP%20Drugs?opendocument

In preparation for the 2009 CAP postponement, this article is a reminder
about upcoming CAP deadlines. It is very important that participating CAP
physicians understand and comply with these deadlines because failure to do
so will affect physicians' ability to be reimbursed.


Medicare Part B Drug Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP): CAP Post
Payment Review in 2009
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Current%20News~Medicare%20Part%20B%20Drug%20Competitive%20Acquisition%20Program%20(CAP):%20CAP%20Post%20Payment%20Review%20in%202009?opendocument

After January 1, 2009, the CAP post payment review process will continue
for 2008 claims. The post payment review process for the CAP is conducted
to verify drug administration for Medicare claims submitted by an Approved
CAP Vendor. For this process, a small sample of physician and Vendor claims
and other documentation is examined in order to establish that drugs billed
by an Approved CAP Vendor were administered and were medically necessary.


Time Limit for Filing Medicare Claims
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Ohio%20Part%20B%20Carrier~Publications~Physician-Supplier%20Guide~Claims%20Filing:%20Medicare~Time%20Limit%20for%20Filing%20Medicare%20Claims?opendocument

Medicare law designates specific time limits for submitting claims for
physician and other Part B services. The terms of the law require that a
claim be filed no later than the end of the calendar year following the
year in which the service was furnished. Exceptions are outlined in this
article.