Stark Law and You

The Stark statute and regulations (collectively referred to as the "Stark Law") can restrict physician referral patterns and the types of business relationships into which physicians may enter. Visit this interactive tool to help you understand the main aspects of the Stark Law.

The Friends of EPCMS offer valuable services, benefits, and discounts to the members of EPCMS. Learn more about the Friends of EPCMS

EPCMSnews  

News & Information From El Paso County Medical Society

February 2012

Greetings!   

EPCMSnews brings you news and information related to you and your practice every month. Checking-up on the news is what we have for you in this issue.

Community Health

More than 150,000 Coloradans participated in wellness programs offered by health insurers in the small group and individual markets according to a new report from the Colorado Division of Insurance.

According to the Wellness Report, only 30 percent of all carriers (large group, small group and individual market) that offered health coverage plans also offered wellness programs. The largest number of carriers that offered those programs were in the large group market. Wellness programs can include health screenings, stress management, tobacco-cessation or even health club memberships.

In 2009, the Colorado General Assembly passed House Bill HB 1012. This new law, §10-16-136 C.R.S., allowed insurance carriers to provide incentives and rewards to policyholders in the small group and individual markets if the policyholders participated in wellness and prevention programs. Carriers were already permitted to offer wellness programs in the large group market.  Read more....

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified ten Winnable Battles where progress can be made in the next three to five years.

Chris Urbina, executive director and chief medical officer for the department, said, "We selected these 10 Winnable Battles because they provide Colorado's greatest opportunities for ensuring the health of our citizens and visitors and the improvement and protection of our environment."  The ten Winnable Battles are:

Clear Air

Clean Water

Infectious Disease Prevention

Injury Prevention

Mental Health And Substance Abuse

Obesity

Oral Health

Safe Food

Tobacco

Unintended Pregnancy

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See data about the battles in El Paso County here.

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What's News With You

These physicians recently added their voice to EPCMS, and became members of this dynamic, local medical society.  Click To Continue

Tips on Interacting with People with Disabilities 

 Etiquette When Using a Sign Language Interpreter 

Guidelines for Reporting & Writing about People with Disabilities

Being a Sighted Guide

Check-Up

TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, the Medicare Administrator for Colorado, is reporting claim processing delays due to 5010 implementation.  Because of this, many practices are electing to submit paper claims rather than wait for a resolution.

Collaborative conference calls involving the AMA, medical societies, work groups, and billing intermediaries such as clearinghouses and payers, have been held to gain information about uniform messaging and parallel communication alerts that are currently being pushed out to physicians concerning issues related to 5010. The goal is to gain overall consistent physician messaging pertaining to timely resolution of these issues. We have learned that system-wide testing is currently being conducted by clearinghouses, payers, and vendors to quickly resolve this issue and a declines in the number of claim rejections is ongoing.

Physicians are encouraged to file a complaint when a health insurer is non-compliant with HIPAA related transactions.  Visit here to Click and Complain  to the AMA, and access complaint forms, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services complaint form.  

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