[ANCO Online ListServ] CMS, DHCS/MediCal & Palmetto/J1MAC News

The following information has been received by ANCO.


****CMS NEWS****
SE0926 – 2009 - 2010 Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Resources for Health Care Professionals
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0926.pdf


The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Provider Communications Group will host a national provider conference call on the 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). This toll-free call will take place from 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., EDT, on Thursday, October 15, 2009.

The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) made the PQRI program permanent, but only authorized incentive payments through 2010. Eligible professionals who meet the criteria for satisfactory submission of quality measures data for services furnished during the reporting period, January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009, will earn an incentive payment of 2.0 percent of their total allowed charges for Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) covered professional services furnished during that same period. The 2009 PQRI consists of 153 quality measures and 7 measures groups.

The topics covered on this national provider call will include:

· Alternative NPI Feedback Report Distribution Process;
· Updates on 2008 PQRI and 2007 re-run PQRI incentive payments; and
· An explanation of the paper and electronic remittance advice statement for determining incentive payments.

Following this presentation, the lines will be opened to allow participants to ask questions of CMS PQRI 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 e-prescribing dedicated web page located at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ERxIncentive. Feel free to download the resources prior to the call so that you may ask questions of the CMS presenters.

Conference call details:

Date: October 15, 2009
Conference Title: 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative-National Provider Call
Time: 2:30 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 2:30 p.m. EDT on October 14, 2009, 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/101509
Fill in all required data.

Verify your time zone is displayed correctly the drop down box.

Click "Register".

You will be taken to the “Thank you for registering” page and will receive a confirmation e-mail shortly thereafter. Note: Please print and save this page, in the event that your server blocks the confirmation e-mails. If you do not receive the confirmation e-mail, please check your spam/junk mail filter as it may have been directed there.

For those of you 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.


Medicare Fee-for-Service Professional Providers and Suppliers:
Version 2.7 of the MREP software is available for download at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/AccesstoDataApplication/02_MedicareRemitEasyPrint.asp on the CMS website. For a description of the changes in this version, see the “What’s New” section of the MREP User Guide – Version 2.7 at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/AccesstoDataApplication/Downloads/EasyPrintUserGuide.pdf.


SE0922 – Alternative Process for Individual Eligible Professionals to Access Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing (E-Prescribing) Feedback Reports
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0922.pdf


MM6455 – Ensuring Only Clinical Trial Services Receive Fee-for-Service (FFS) Payment on Claims Billed for Managed Care Beneficiaries
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6455.pdf


****DHCS/MEDI-CAL NEWS****
The following notice has been posted to the Medi-Cal Web site, www.medi-cal.ca.gov, as of October 5, 2009:

The Department of Health Care Services' Fiscal Intermediary (FI) contractor for the Medi-Cal program, EDS, was acquired by HP (Hewlett-Packard Company) in August 2008. In the months since then, a number of internal company transitions were successfully implemented by HP. The business processes and systems used by the Medi-Cal program in its operations and interactions with providers have not been impacted by the acquisition. Business has continued as usual.

One of the final stages in the transition plan involves "retiring" the EDS name and logo, and replacing them with the new corporate division name, "HP Enterprise Services," and the HP logo.

This transition to the HP Enterprise Services name will take place in the coming weeks. Providers may notice a number of "EDS" references, including addresses, in various documents and manual pages changed to "HP Enterprise Services." Documents and references with such name changes include:
* Provider manual pages, bulletins and Web site references
* Letters and correspondence
* Forms and online user guides
* E-mails with an "@hp.com" address rather than an "@eds.com" address
* The HP name when calling personnel or published telephone numbers
No changes in personnel or telephone numbers used by providers, including the Telephone Service Center number (1-800-541-5555), will occur as a result of this transition. Likewise, mailing addresses used by providers to conduct business with Medi-Cal and the FI will remain the same.


****PALMETTO/J1MAC NEWS****
October Update to the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database
(MPFSDB) (HI, NV)
Effective October 5, 2009, for dates of service performed on or after
January 1, 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have
made a change to a CPT code on the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
Database (MPFSDB). Please review and share with staff members.
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/vMasterDID/7WNLA25127?opendocument


Medicare Remit EasyPrint (MREP) Software for J1 Part B
Medicare Remit EasyPrint (MREP) version 2.7 is available for download. You
can save time and money by taking advantage of FREE MREP software now
available to view and print the ANSI 835! Please visit our Web site at
www.palmettogba.com for downloading the 2.7 Version.
http://www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/Providers.nsf/vMasterDID/7HVMA20718?opendocument


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