ASCO, CMA, CMS, & Palmetto/J1MAC News

The following information has been received by ANCO.

****ASCO NEWS****
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) e-News was published and is available at http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe59157875670374771c&m=ff2d16787160&ls=fdee12777561067c701d7873&l=fe6515757467037e7015&s=fdf2157972640d79751d7073&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe38167174600c79771570. ANCO is a state/regional affiliate of ASCO.

This edition features:

Frosted Pink with a Twist Raises Cancer Awareness Nationwide

2009 Election News Available Online

2008 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology Approaching

Register Now for the 2009 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium

Members Only Housing Open for 2009 ASCO Annual Meeting

Applications Now Open for 2009 ASCO State Affiliate Grants

2009 IDEA Grant Applications Available

Presentations from 2008 Annual Meeting Now Available at No Cost

Video Podcasts from the 2008 Breast Cancer Symposium Now Available

Annual Meeting Summaries Available on ASCO.org

JCO Adopts New Online Publishing Policy

Opportunity to Apply for the 2009 Susan G. Komen for the Cure®/ASCO Loan Repayment Program Approaching

Apply for 2009 ACRA in Breast Cancer or 2009 ACRA in Glioma

Apply Today for CDA and YIA Grants from The ASCO Cancer Foundation

Cancer Policy Alert: Oct. 1: President Signs Continuing Resolution to Fund Government Program; Members of Congress Urge Congressional Leadership to Exclude Prompt Pay Discount from ASP; New Guidance on Recent ESA Label Changes

For Your Patients: Latest Cancer.Net Feature Articles Explain Bone Marrow Biopsy and Aspiration, and Post-Mastectomy Procedures

"What's New in the JCO: Early Release Articles Published"

See What's Coming Up in JCO


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

It features:

Highlights from CMA’s 2008 House of Delegates

CMA Advocacy Works: Blue Cross Agrees to Amend Physician Contracts

Proposition 4 Creates New Legal Liabilities for Doctors

Feds Temporarily Extend Family PACT Program

Physicians Still Facing Severe Medicare Payment Problems

CMA Balance Billing Advocacy Toolkit Available

Physicians Urged to Verify Accuracy of CPPI Quality Data

San Bernardino County Physician Installed as CMA’s 141st President

Orange County Physician Elected CMA President-Elect

Board Highlights Now Available

2008 Legislative Wrap Up

CMA Seminars Train Physician Office Staff in Proper Billing and Collections Procedures

Member Benefit of the Week: 6% off athenaCollector


****CMS NEWS****
Noridian Administrative Services, the designated carrier for the CAP, offers interactive, online workshops about the CAP for Part B Drugs and Biologicals. These workshops train CAP vendors and elected physicians on a variety of CAP topics, including how to transition out of the CAP at the end of 2008 due to the postponement of the program for 2009. NAS staff will also be available to answer questions. Interested parties may view additional information about and register for these workshops on the Noridian website at:

https://www.noridianmedicare.com/cap_drug/train/schedule.html

Upcoming workshops will be held on the following dates:

10/22/08 at 2:00 pm CST

11/24/08 at 2:00 pm CST

Additional information about the CAP and the 2009 postponement is available at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/01_overview.asp


****PALMETTO/J1MAC NEWS****
Provider Enrollment Application Status Lookup Tool
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Jurisdiction%201%20Part%20B~Resources~Provider%20Enrollment~Provider%20Enrollment%20Application%20Status%20Lookup%20Tool?opendocument

To assist J1 providers in obtaining the status of their enrollment
applications, we are pleased to announce a new provider self-service tool.
The Provider Enrollment Application Status Lookup tool will be located on
the Palmetto GBA J1 Part B Web site, www.Palmettogba.com/J1B/Enroll, under
Resources/Provider Enrollment and under Tools and Top Links at
www.PalmettoGBA.com/J1B: http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/IVR.nsf

Modifier Lookup: Your Resource for Correct Claim Submission
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/DocsCat/Providers~Jurisdiction%201%20Part%20B~Articles~Modifier%20Lookup~Modifier%20Lookup:%20Your%20Resource%20for%20Correct%20Claim%20Submission?opendocument

Is documentation required with the claim when submitting a modifier? If
HCPCS modifiers GN and KX are both required, which modifier should be
submitted first? Find these answers and more in the Modifier Lookup. This
handy tool contains all the information you need to document and correctly
submit modifiers. Palmetto GBA revises the information in the Modifier
Lookup frequently based on your questions and new published guidance.