ACCC, CMA, CMS, & Palmetto/J1MAC News

The following information has been received by ANCO.


****ACCC NEWS****
The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) Connect was published and is available online at http://www.accc-cancer.org/mediaroom/newsletters/2010/ACCConnect-5-5-2010.html. ANCO is an Institutional Member of ACCC. This edition features:

• ACCC to Study In-Office Dispensing Pharmacies

• 13 ACCC-Member Cancer Programs Added to NCCCP

• FDA Conducting Safety Review of Commonly Used Prostate Cancer Drugs

• Heard on ACCC's ListServ: Shifts in Chemotherapy Reimbursement?

• Costs and Use of Diagnostic Imaging Rise Among Medicare Patients

• ACCC's CE Blackboard: New Multiple Myeloma CE Programs Available


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

• Have You Checked Your Medical Board Profile Recently?

• Faulty Blue Shield Physician Ratings Go Public on June 1

• California Physicians Will Receive One-TIme Licensing Fee Credit

• FTC Red Flagg Rules Take Effect June 1

• Some Private Payors Changing Consultation Code Payment Policies

• CMA Foundation Announces Increased Funding for Medical Student-Run Clinics

• Deadline to Nominate a Colleague for the CMA Foundation Leadership Awards is June 30

• May Issue of CMA Practice Resources (CPR) Now Available

• Have You SIgned the Medicare Petition?


****CMS NEWS****
MM6911 – Enhancements to Home Health (HH) Consolidated Billing Enforcement
http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6911.pdf

MM6964 – Changes to the Laboratory National Coverage Determination (NCD) Edit Software for July 2010
http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6964.pdf

MM6950 – Medicare Benefits Policy Manual Update – Determining Self-Administration of Drug or Biological
http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6950.pdf

MM6711 – Discarded Drugs and Biologicals Updates
http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6711.pdf


The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Provider Communications Group will host a national provider conference call on the 2010 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program (eRx). This toll-free call will take place from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., EDT, on Wednesday, May 12, 2010.

The PQRI is voluntary quality reporting program that provides an incentive payment to identified individual eligible professionals (EPs), and beginning with the 2010 PQRI, group practices who satisfactorily report data on quality measures for covered Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) services furnished to Medicare Part B Fee-For-Service (FFS) beneficiaries.

The PQRI was first implemented in 2007 as a result of section 101 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA), and further expanded as a result of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (MMSEA), and the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA). The eRx Incentive Program is an incentive program for eligible professionals initially implemented in 2009 as a result of section 132(b) of the MIPPA. The eRx Incentive Program promotes the adoption and use of eRx systems by individual eligible professionals (and beginning with the 2010 eRx Incentive Program, group practices).

Following a few program announcements and updates, the lines will be opened to allow participants to ask questions of CMS PQRI and eRx 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, as well as educational products are available on the eRx dedicated web page located at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ERxIncentive on the CMS website. Feel free to download the resources prior to the call so that you may ask questions of the CMS presenters.

Conference call details:

Date: May 12, 2010

Conference Title: Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) - National Provider Call

Time: 1:30 p.m. EDT

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.

Registration will close at 1:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 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://www.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/051210

Fill in all required data.

Verify that your time zone is displayed correctly in 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 who will be unable to attend, a transcript of the call will be available at least one week after the call at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/pqri on the CMS website.

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


****PALMETTO/J1MAC NEWS****
J1 Provider Outreach and Education Event Calendar
The Palmetto GBA J1 May 2010 Event Calendar is now available on our Web
site. If you are not able to register for our Spring Workshop Tour in your
area, check out the Event Calendar for another session located near you.
Remember, you can always attend our regular monthly Webinars and/or Ask the
Contractor Teleconferences (ACT) on popular Medicare topics.
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/vMasterDID/7TAL2C7131?opendocument


2010 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative National Provider Call to be
held on May 12, 2010
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Provider Communications
Group will host a national provider conference call on the 2010 Physician
Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing Incentive
Program (eRx). This toll-free call will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 3
p.m., EDT, on Thursday, May 12, 2010.
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/vMasterDID/855L3Z1630?opendocument


The ANCO Online ListServ has moved and is now sent directly from the ANCO office computer. Please contact ListServ@anco-online.org if you wish to update or unsubscribe your e-mail address. Thanks!