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including nursing homes,
home health agencies,
hospitals, physicians
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organizations.
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| Swine Flu
Information
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is assisting the CDC in spreading helpful information and education about the swine flu outbreak and preventive actions to slow its spread.
More information is available at:
For more information about government efforts to use social media to inform the public about the swine flu outbreak and related information, please visit:
Thank you for your help in this important health and safety matter!
Seasonal Flu
Information
For all your informational needs visit:
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Greetings!
Welcome to the January 2010 edition of Health eNotes: |
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January
National Glaucoma
Awareness
Month
January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reminds health care professionals that Medicare provides coverage of a comprehensive annual glaucoma screening exam for Medicare beneficiaries at high risk for developing glaucoma.
Medicare provides coverage of an annual glaucoma screening for beneficiaries in at least one of the following high risk groups:
- Individuals with diabetes mellitus;
- Individuals with a family history of glaucoma;
- African-Americans age 50 or older; and
- Hispanic-Americans age 65 and older.
A covered glaucoma screening includes:
- A dilated eye examination with an intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement; and
- A direct ophthalmoscopy examination or a slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination.
What Can You Do?
As a health care professional who provides care to seniors and others with Medicare, you can help protect the vision of your Medicare patients who may be at high risk for glaucoma by educating them about their risk factors and reminding them of the importance of getting an annual glaucoma screening exam.
For More Information
CMS has developed several educational products related to Medicare-covered preventive services, including glaucoma screenings:
- The Glaucoma Screening brochure - provides information on risk factors, coverage, and documentation for Medicare-covered Glaucoma screenings. read more...
- The MLN Preventive Services Educational Products Web Page - provides descriptions and ordering information for Medicare Learning Network (MLN) preventive services educational products and resources for health care professionals and their staff, including products related to Medicare-covered glaucoma screening. read more...
- Quick Reference Information: Medicare Preventive Services - This double-sided chart provides coverage and coding information on Medicare-covered preventive services, including Medicare-covered glaucoma screenings. read more...
- The Guide to Medicare Preventive Services for Physicians, Providers, Suppliers, and Other Health care services Medicare covers, including glaucoma screenings. read more...
Please visit the Medicare Learning Network for more information on these and other Medicare fee-for-service educational products. |
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CMS
NEWS
Medicare Survey to be Conducted Soon
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be surveying physicians and other Medicare providers beginning next month through its annual Medicare Provider Satisfaction Survey. The survey, which will cover inquiries, provider outreach and education, claims processing, appeals, provider enrollment, medical review, and provider audit and reimbursement, will be sent to a random sample of about 30,000 Medicare fee-for-service physicians and providers. Those who are selected to participate will be notified starting in January. Physicians and providers can complete the survey via a secure Web site or by mail, fax or phone.
Physicians may be interested to know that the two lowest ranking areas are enrollment and appeals. The AMA has used the data from Medicare to advocate for more streamlined processes and fewer administrative burdens for physicians.
CMS Considers Changing the PQRI Rules &
"Meaningful Use" Criteria
On Dec. 3, HealthData Management reported that CMS officials are considering making changes to the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and/or the forthcoming criteria for "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs) in order to align reporting requirements for both. Rules for reporting PQRI data, recently defined in the 2010 Medicare physician fee schedule, differ from the most recent proposal for meaningful use under the federal EHR stimulus program that begins next year. read more...
New Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Booklet:
How to Use the Medicare Coverage Database
Search Tool
Do you ever wonder about how to utilize search tools in selected areas of the CMS website? The searchable Medicare Coverage Database (MCD) contains all Medicare National Coverage Determinations (NCDs), National Coverage Analyses (NCAs, Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs), and local policy articles. The Medicare Learning Network (MLN) has produced a "How
To" booklet (2.5 MB), tha provides an explanation of the MCD, as well as how to use the Search, Indexes, Reports and Downloads features. The How to Use the Medicare Coverage Database booklet (November 2009) can be located at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/MPUB/list.asp on the MLN Publications page. Use search key words "how to" to locate this publication quickly. Understanding the search tool is the best way to find the information for which you are looking!
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PAY FOR
U.S.House Votes to Suspend
Medicare Physician Payment Cuts The U.S. House of Representatives voted Dec. 16 to suspend for two months the 21 percent Medicare physician payment cut schedule to take effect Jan.1.
The vote came a day after the AMA sent a letter, signed by 50 state medical societies and 68 national physician organizations, to Congress urging lawmakers to establish a pathway toward permanent repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula.
"Ensuring continued access to physician care for America's seniors is critically important," AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, said. "The House has already passed H.R. 3961, which will replace the broken Medicare physician payment formula with a system that better reflects the cost of providing 21st century medical care, and we urge the Senate to quickly take similar action so the president can sign it into law early next year." read more from Dr. Rohack...
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What Are Your Risks When a Patient Does
Not Follow Treatment Advice?
- Proper documentation is critical when treating patients with CMDW who are unwilling or unable to follow your treatment or referral recommendations.
- Referring patients with CMDW to specialists may be a wise option, especially as specialty clinics become more readily accessible.
read more... |
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HIT/EHR
NEWS
MGMA Sends EHR Recommendations
to HHS
The Medical Group Management Association believes many medical groups may not achieve "meaningful use" and will not qualify for the electronic health record incentive programs mandated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, if the program is not developed and administered appropriately. read more... |
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IMMUNIZATION 
NEWS
STATE
Florida-Specific Disease
Data May be Found on
the Department of Health's,
Bureau of Epidemiology
CMS web section on adult immunization includes information on Medicare coverage for seasonal and H1N1 vaccination. The adult immunization web section of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides information and resources related to the coverage of seasonal and H1N1 influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B vaccinations. Resources include a link to the comprehensive 57-page "2009-2010 Immunizers' Q&A Guide to Medicare Coverage of Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccinations" and a colorful 1-page poster, "Get a flu shot, not the flu," that providers can print and hang in waiting rooms and exam rooms. To access these and other resources, go to:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/AdultImmunizations
Keep vaccinating against seasonal influenza! Providers who don't have seasonal influenza vaccine or H1N1 influenza vaccine can direct patients to the new Google Flu Shot Finder at:
http://www.google.com/flushot. Providers who are looking for seasonal influenza vaccine available for purchase, can check with IVATS (Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System). IVATS provides information about vaccine manufacturers and distributors with vaccine available for purchase. To access this information in Excel spreadsheet format, go to:
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EDUCATION
NEWS
Learn How to Implement Health IT in Your Practice
Join the AMA for a series of free webinars that aim to help physician practices successfully implement health information technology (IT) and improve their efficiency and quality of care. The webinars will be co-hosted by TransforMED, a subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians that provides consultation to physicians and practices interested in transforming their practice, and will take place at 1 p.m. Eastern time each Thursday beginning Jan. 14 until Feb. 4.
Hear from experts already working to transform physician practices through health IT, learn the basics of health IT system implementation, prepare your patients and practice for changes associated with health IT, and discover tips for tackling major milestones at each stage in the process.
Dates and topics include:
- Jan. 14 - Meaningful use of technology to support patient-
centered care
- Jan. 21 - Preparing your practice for health IT
- Jan. 28 - Selecting the appropriate technology for your
practice
- Feb. 4 - Engaging patients in using technology to manage
their personal health care
Visit the AMA health IT Web site and click "Health IT webinars" to learn more about these programs and to register for each. All webinars will be archived there after their original broadcast date. | |
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Sharing Best Practices
Please contact us with your best practices and we will share your successes in our newsletter.
Did you know... The completeness of your patient's EHR can be augmented with a small change in workflow. Having the MA/nurse ask the patient if they have received any preventive service, such as, the influenza vaccine outside the office and then documenting that information into the appropriate discrete data field or section of the EHR will do just that! They can also check to see if the patient is due for other tests at the same time and initiate that process.
The EHR 4 Prevention Team has various tools and resources to assist staff and educate patients about preventive care services. Please let your EHR 4 Prevention Team coordinator know if you would like some for your office. | |
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