ASH, CMS, & Palmetto/J1MAC News

The following information has been received by ANCO.


****ASH NEWS****
ASH and CMS are hosting a webinar on the 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and the E-Prescribing programs. For beginners, this webinar will cover the basics of how to report the 2009 PQRI quality measures through claims-based reporting and to complete the E-Prescribing measure. For those who are current participants, this is an opportunity to get answers to questions about these programs.

The webinar will take place on March 6, 2009, from 12:00 noon to 1:15 p.m., EST.

Sylvia Publ, CMS Senior Quality Advisor, will discuss the basics of how to satisfactorily report the 2009 PQRI quality measures and to participate in the E-Prescribing program. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity to ask questions.

The webinar focuses on assisting hematologists as well as their office staff who may benefit from a greater understanding of the PQRI and E-Prescribing process. We encourage you to pass this information along to your members so that they may participate in this informative discussion. You may advise them to contact Matt Eckel at grassroots@hematology.org to sign up for this webinar and to get answers to any further questions they may have.



****CMS NEWS****
Now there’s a better way for physicians and non-physician practitioners to enroll or make a change in their Medicare enrollment information. The Internet-based Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) will allow physicians and non-physician practitioners to enroll, make a change in their Medicare enrollment, or view their Medicare enrollment information on file with Medicare.

Internet-based PECOS is a scenario-driven application process with front-end editing capabilities and built-in help screens. The scenario-driven application process will ensure that physicians and non-physician practitioners complete and submit only the information necessary to enroll or make a change in their Medicare enrollment record.

There are three basic steps to completing an enrollment action using Internet-based PECOS. Physicians and non-physician practitioners must:

1. Have an NPPES User ID and password to use Internet-based PECOS.

For security reasons, physicians and non-physician practitioners should change passwords periodically, at least once a year. For information on how to change a password, go to the NPPES Application Help page available at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do and select the “Reset Password Page” under the NPPES Application help page.

2. Go to Internet-based PECOS at https://pecos.cms.hhs.gov and complete, review, and submit the electronic enrollment application via Internet-based PECOS.

3. Print, sign and date the two-page Certification Statement and mail the Certification Statement and all supporting paper documentation to the Medicare contractor within 7 days of electronic submission.

Note: A Medicare contractor will not process an Internet enrollment application without the signed and dated Certification Statement. In addition, the effective date of filing an enrollment application is the date the Medicare contractor receives the signed Certification Statement that is associated with the Internet submission.

While CMS encourages physicians and non-physician practitioners print and retain a copy of the enrollment record for their records, physicians and non-physician practitioners should only mail the two-page Certification Statement to the designated contractor.

For information about Internet-based PECOS, including important information that physicians and non-physician practitioners should know before submitting a Medicare enrollment application via Internet-based PECOS, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will make Internet-based PECOS to all organizational providers and suppliers (except durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers) later this year.


The revised Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Fact Sheet (February 2009), which provides general information about the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, coverage of clinical laboratory services, and how payment rates are set, is now available from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Learning Network in downloadable format at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/clinical_lab_fee_schedule_fact_sheet.pdf .


****PALMETTO/J1MAC NEWS****
Per Palmetto/J1MAC, recent denials of iron dextran were in error and there will be a mass adjustment in the near future.