ASCO & DHCS/MediCal News

The following information has been received by ANCO.

All ANCO Online LIstServ postings are archived at the ANCO Online ListSev blog available at http://anco-online.blogspot.com/.


****ASCO NEWS****
The American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO) Cancer Policy Today was published and is available at http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe6115787263007c7415&m=ff311d707460&ls=fdec12777c65017975127971&l=fe601575776601757d14&s=fe1f15797d620479731d75&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe2116717d6d0475741c79. ANCO is a state/regional affiliate of ASCO. This edition features:

ASCO Continues to Advocate for Issues Affecting Oncologists in 2009

ASCO Comments on 2009 Medicare Physician Payment Regulations

ASCO Issues its First Provisional Clinical Opinion on KRAS Gene Testing in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

ASCO Comments on 2009 Medicare HOPPS Regulations

ASCO Highlights Priorities to HHS Agency Review Team

President-elect Obama Announces Top Scientific Advisors

Last Chance to Apply for ASCO Loan Repayment Program

ASCO Leadership Urges Participation in AMA/ASCO Survey


****DHCS/MediCal NEWS****
Effective for dates of service on or after February 1, 2009, providers may no longer bill Medi-Cal using a recipient’s Social Security Number (SSN). Claims submitted with a recipient’s SSN will be denied. All exemptions to this policy are discontinued except for Medicare crossover claims. Providers may continue to bill Medicare crossover claims using the recipient’s SSN.

Claims submitted with a valid nine-digit Client Index Number will continue to be accepted. However, all providers are expected to use the Medi-Cal identification number from the recipient’s Benefits Identification Card (BIC) or paper ID card when verifying eligibility, billing Medi-Cal or submitting Treatment Authorization Requests (TARs).

Medi-Cal recognizes the importance of protecting the identity and health information of recipients and strongly encourages all providers to avoid using a recipient’s SSN whenever possible.

This notice has been published on the Medi-Cal Web site, http://www.medi-cal.ca.gov/, as a link from the home page Newsroom section.