Conferencia sobre los Aspectos de Contratación de los Planes Advantage y...

Los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid le invitan a participar de la Conferencia sobre los Aspectos de Contratación de los Planes Advantage y la Cubierta de Medicinas Recetadas de Medicare o Parte D para Médicos. La misma se ofrecerá en las facilidades de los Laboratorios Abbott ubicado en Montehiedra Office Centre en San Juan.  Aproveche esta gran oportunidad de recibir orientación sobre la Parte D de Medicare directamente de nuestro farmacéutico John Cocchiara de la Región 2 de Nueva York. Espacios limitados. Regístrese a tiempo. Adjunto detalles sobre registro, horario y lugar.

 

Compártalo con sus colegas.

 

Importante Información sobre la Escuelita Medicare

Saludos:   La segunda sección de La Escuelita programada para comenzar el 10 de junio de 2008 ha sido re-programada de la siguiente forma:   Nueva fecha:    lunes 5 y viernes 9 de mayo (2 dias solamente) Horario:    8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Lugar:      Oficina del Comisionado de Seguros, Edificio Gam Tower, Urb. Caparra Hls Ind Park, 2 Calle Tabonuco, Suite 400 (salon de actos 5to piso), teléfono: 787-304-8686.   Todo aquel que se registró para la segunda sección quedará registrado automáticamente para los dias 5 y 9 de mayo.  Si por alguna razón usted no puede participar debido a este cambio, agradeceré nos notifique a la mayor brevedad posible. En esta ocasión tenemos 20 espacios disponibles para las personas interesadas en participar de la 2da sección los dias 5 y 9 de mayo. Interesados deben enviar por fax la hoja de registro adjunta. También puede registrarse a través de esta dirección electrónica.   RECUERDE QUE LA SECCION PROGRAMADA PARA COMENZAR EL 10 DE JUNIO AL 17 DE JULIO HA SIDO CANCELADA O RE-PROGRAMADA.   Les incluyo además la agenda con los cambios.   Buenas tardes.

Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systema (HCPCS) File Update

From: 18 existing FFS provider listservs [mailto:[e-mail]] On Behalf Of CMS CMSProviderResource
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 1:28 PM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) File Update

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is pleased to announce the scheduled release of modifications to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code set.  These changes have been posted to the HCPCS website at www.cms.hhs.gov/HCPCSReleaseCodeSets/02_HCPCS_Quarterly_Update.asp .  Changes are effective on the date indicated on the update.

Por favor, revise estos comunicados: Tenemos importantes Actividades

A/B Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) Award Update

From: 18 existing FFS provider listservs [mailto:[e-mail]] On Behalf Of CMS CMSProviderResource
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 4:18 PM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: A/B Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) Award Update

The Medicare Administrative Contractor (A/B MAC) award for Jurisdiction 12 (J12) has been restored to Highmark Medicare Services (HMS) of Camp Hill , Pennsylvania .  All of the workload will be transitioned into the new MAC contract by the end of 2008.

This announcement follows the resolution of a protest filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of the A/B MAC award made under solicitation CMS-2006-0033 and announced by CMS on October 24, 2007.

Highmark Medicare Services will be the A/B MAC for the states of Pennsylvania , New Jersey , Maryland , Delaware , and the District of Columbia and will serve as the first point of contact for the processing and payment of Medicare fee-for-service claims from hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, physicians and other health care practitioners in this geographical area.

For more information go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareContractingReform and click on "What's New" on the left.

Flu Shot Reminder

It's Not Too Late to Give and Get the Flu Shot!
In the U.S. , the peak of flu season typically occurs anywhere from late December through March; however, flu season can last as late as May. Each office visit presents an opportunity for you to talk with your patients about the importance of getting an annual flu shot and a one time pneumococcal vaccination.  Protect yourself, your patients, and your family and friends by getting and giving the flu shot. Don't Get the Flu. Don't Give the Flu. Get Vaccinated!

Remember - Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations and their administration are covered Part B benefits.  Note that influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are NOT Part D covered drugs.  You and your staff can learn more about Medicare's coverage of adult immunizations and related provider education resources, by reviewing Special Edition MLN Matters article SE0748  http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0748.pdf on the CMS website.

If you received this message in error, please go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/mailinglists/ to unsubscribe to the appropriate listserv. Please DO NOT respond to this email. This email is a service of CMS and routed through an electronic mail server to communicate Medicare policy and operational changes and/or updates. Responses to this email are not routed to CMS personnel. Inquiries may be sent by going to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ContactCMS/ . Thank you.

 

 

The NPI is here. The NPI is now. Are you using it?

From: Physician Open Door Forum [mailto:[e-mail]] On Behalf Of CMS HOMEHEALTH_HOSPICE_DMEODF-L
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 3:05 PM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: NPI: May 23rd is Only Two Months Away, Be Prepared!

 

The NPI is here.  The NPI is now.  Are you using it?

 

Important Information for Medicare FFS Providers

 

The NPI will be Required for all HIPAA Standard Transactions on May 23^rd

As of May 23, 2008, the NPI will be required for all HIPAA standard transactions.  This means:

 

-                                         For all primary and secondary provider fields, only the NPI will be accepted and sent on all HIPAA electronic transactions (837I, 837P, NCPDP, DDE, 276/277, 270/271 and 835), paper claims (UB-04 and CMS-1500) and SPR remittance advice.  

 

-                                         The reporting of Medicare legacy identifiers in any primary or secondary provider fields will result in the rejection of the transaction. 

 

 

REMINDER: May 23^rd is Only Two Months Away, Be Prepared! 

 TEST NPI-only NOW

Now that the NPI is required on all Medicare claims in the primary provider fields, if your claims are being successfully processed with NPI/legacy pairs (and most are) now is the time to begin testing claims using the NPI alone.  If the Medicare NPI Crosswalk cannot match your NPI to your Medicare legacy number, the claim with an NPI-only will reject. You can and should do this test now!  If the claim is processed and you are paid, continue to increase the volume of claims sent with only your NPI.  If the claims reject, go into your NPPES record and validate that the information you are sending on the claim is consistent with the information in NPPES.  If it is different, make the updates in NPPES and resend a small batch of claims 3-4 days later.  If your claims are still rejecting, you may need to update your Medicare enrollment information to correct this problem.  Call the Customer Service Representative at your Medicare carrier, FI, or A/B MAC enrollment staff or your DME MAC to discuss your situation and, if necessary, have it investigated. Have a copy of your NPPES record or your NPI Registry record available.  The contractor telephone numbers are likely to be quite busy, so don't wait.

 

Doing this testing now will allow time for any needed corrections prior to May 23, 2008, the date when only the NPI will be accepted in all provider fields.

 

Need More Information?

Still not sure what an NPI is and how you can get it, share it and use it?  As always, more information and education on the NPI can be found through the CMS NPI page www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand on the CMS website.  Providers can apply for an NPI online at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/ or can call the NPI enumerator to request a paper application at 1-800-465-3203.  Having trouble viewing any of the URLs in this message?  If so, try to cut and paste any URL in this message into your web browser to view the intended information. 

 

Note: All current and past CMS NPI communications are available by clicking " CMS Communications" in the left column of the www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand CMS webpage.

 

 

Round 1 of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program

From: Physician Open Door Forum [mailto:[e-mail]] On Behalf Of CMS HOMEHEALTH_HOSPICE_DMEODF-L
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 4:36 PM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Round 1 of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program

Round 1 of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program

CMS has announced the single payment amounts for Round 1 of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program.

Visit the CMS web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcqforDMEPOS/  to view additional information.

To view the Press Release, please click: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp

CMS Announces DMEPOS Prices for Round 1 of Competitve Bidding

From: Worrall, Chris M. (CMS/OA)
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 5:05 PM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Medicare Information for Pharmacists

CMS Announces DMEPOS Prices for Round 1 of Competitive Bidding…

CMS announced today the new prices that Medicare will pay for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) in the first ten communities participating in the DME Competitive Bidding program beginning on July 1.  Medicare beneficiaries living in Charlotte , Cincinnati , Cleveland , Dallas , Kansas City, Miami , Orlando , Pittsburg , Riverside and San Juan will continue to have access to high quality DMEPOS items at substantially lower prices than they are currently paying. 

As a result of the competitive bidding process, the amounts that Medicare will pay for the 10 product categories included in Round 1 of the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program overall average 26% less than Medicare’s current fee schedule amounts.  CMS is in the process of notifying all suppliers who bid of their results.  Suppliers whose bids were in the winning range will be mailed contracts requiring their signatures.  Once those suppliers return their signed contracts, CMS will publicly announce the list of contracted suppliers.  Please see the Medicare Fact Sheet and Press Release for a timeline of Round 1 events, specific information about savings in each product category and more.

Please also visit our DMEPOS Accreditation website for more information about accreditation timelines associated with Round 2 of the competitive bidding program.

Chris Worrall
Special Assistant
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Office of the Administrator
200 Independence Ave. SW
Washington , D.C. 20201
[e-mail]