ASH, CMS & Palmetto/J1MAC News

The following information has been received by ANCO.


****ASH NEWS****
The American Society of Hematology's (ASH) Practice Update was published and is available online at http://www.hematology.org/Practice/Practice-Updates/4284.aspx. This edition features:

Senate Finance Committee Begins Markup on Chairman Baucus' Health Reform Proposal
White House Reaffirms Commitment to Fixing the Medicare Physician Payment Formula and Health Reform

ASH Urges Congress to Replace the Flawed SGR.

DHHS Alert: Cocaine Mixed with Levamisole Causing Agranulocytosis in Users

Changes Impacting Hematology ICD-9 Codes Become Effective October 1

What's New with the 2009 PQRI and E-Prescribing Incentive Programs

October 2009 ASP Files Available from Medicare


****CMS NEWS****
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is holding a Special Open Door Forum (ODF) in order to share the proposed key elements of the Medicare Imaging Demonstration design.

This demonstration was authorized by Section 135(b) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) for the purpose of collecting data regarding physician use of advanced diagnostic imaging services. For purposes of this demonstration, advanced diagnostic imaging services are defined as diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and nuclear medicine.

Tentative Agenda:

1. Demonstration overview

2. Advanced imaging procedures

3. Decision Support Systems and guidelines

4. Quality

For a copy of the presentation slides and more general information about the demonstration, please see the demonstration website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DemoProjectsEvalRpts/MD/itemdetail.asp?filterType=none&filterByDID=-99&sortByDID=3&sortOrder=descending&itemID=CMS1222075&intNumPerPage=10

Telephone participants will be given an opportunity to speak and will be asked to limit comments to 2 minutes.

Interested parties may submit comments or input in written form to ImagingDemo135b@cms.hhs.govby noon ET on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.
We look forward to your participation.

To participate by phone:
Dial: 1-800-837-1935 & Reference Conference ID: 29805623

Persons participating by phone are not required to RSVP.

Note: TTY Communications Relay Services are available for the Hearing Impaired. For TTY services dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-855-2880. A Relay Communications Assistant will help.
An audio recording of this Special Forum will be posted to the Special Open Door Forum website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/05_ODF_SpecialODF.asp and will be accessible for downloading beginning Tuesday, October 13, 2009

For automatic emails of Open Door Forum schedule updates, E-Mailing list subscriptions and to view Frequently Asked Questions please visit our website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/opendoorforums/ .
Thank you for your interest in CMS Open Door Forums.


****PALMETTO/J1MAC NEWS****
Claim Adjustment Reason Code (CARC), Remittance Advice Remark Code (RARC),
and Medicare Remit Easy Print (MREP) Update
CR 6604, from which this article is taken, announces the latest update of
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARCs) and Claim Adjustment Reason Codes
(CARCs), effective October 1, 2009. Be sure billing staff are aware of
these changes.
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/vMasterDID/7W6LWF7023?opendocument


Implementation of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
1996 (HIPAA) version 5010 for Transaction 835 - Health Care Claim
Payment/Advice,
CR 6589, from which this article is taken, instructs Medicare Contractors
to implement Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
(HIPAA) Transaction 835 version 5010.
Make sure that your billing staffs are aware that the new HIPAA transaction
835 version 5010 is being implemented, and Medicare can begin to generate
the 835 version 5010 for testing with trading partners and/or for
transitioning early adopters of the new standard as of January 1, 2011.
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/vMasterDID/7W6M2P2871?opendocument


ACT: General Medicare Updates - September 29, 2009
Join the Palmetto GBA J1 Part B Outreach and Education team for an Ask the
Contractor Teleconference (ACT) on September 29, 2009. The topic will be
general Medicare updates.
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/vMasterDID/7W7JTU0270?opendocument


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