CMS member outreach on ColoradoCare pros/cons
Colorado faces an important vote this November about the future of the state's health care system. Physicians and their staffs will not only need to understand what the proposed constitutional amendment on ColoradoCare means for the profession, they must also be prepared to answer questions about Amendment 69 from patients.
Information you need
ColoradoCare would create a new system where every resident has health care coverage financed by taxes instead of private insurance premiums. It would replace most other health insurance in the state except for Medicare and Veterans Administration coverage.
Over the last four months the CMS Special Advisory Committee on ColoradoCare has carefully developed pro/con analyses of Amendment 69 and the current multi-payer system. Find the analyses here.
Should you have any questions and to be well informed, please also consider reviewing:
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Physician Fee Schedule: Proposed CY 2017 Changes
On July 7, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (federal CMS) proposed changes to the Physician Fee Schedule that would affect how Medicare pays for primary care through a new focus on care management and behavioral health. The federal CMS says the changes are designed to recognize the importance of the primary care work physicians perform. The rule also proposes policies to expand the Diabetes Prevention Program within Medicare starting Jan. 1, 2018. The annual Physician Fee Schedule updates payment policies, payment rates, and quality provisions for services provided in calendar year 2017. These services include, but are not limited to visits, surgical procedures, diagnostic tests, therapy services, and specified preventive services. In addition to physicians, the fee schedule pays a variety of practitioners and entities, including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, as well as radiation therapy centers and independent diagnostic testing facilities. Additional policies proposed in the 2017 payment rule include:
- Primary care and care coordination
- Mental and behavioral health
- Cognitive impairment care assessment and planning
- Care for patients with mobility-related impairments
Click here for more information from the federal CMS.
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Attention Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid Program) and CHP+ Providers!
Coming soon! Big changes to the Provider Portal, MMIS, and PBMS
As part of the Colorado Medicaid Management Innovation and Transformation (COMMIT) project, the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing will be launching several new provider-facing systems on Oct. 31, 2016. Two of these new systems will affect the way providers submit claims and receive payments. These are the Colorado interChange (a new claims processing and eligibility verification system) and the Pharmacy Benefits Management System (a new pharmacy point-of-sale system). Over the next several months, the Department will be working to inform and prepare Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) and CHP+ providers for these changes. In addition to the updates mentioned below, the Department will also be hosting a series of live webinars to answer any questions you may have. Both webinar and training schedules will be released late July 2016. How can providers prepare for these changes? Providers who have not begun the enrollment/ revalidation process by Aug. 1, 2016 put themselves at serious risk for delayed payments, as the process may take several weeks. Visit the Department's Provider Resources page for more information about revalidation or enrollment. Get tailored updates that matter to you! Sign up for this email distribution list today, and you will receive training schedules and other important information specific to your provider type or business, straight to your email inbox. Other ways to stay informed The Department will keep you informed and help prepare you for the coming changes. Look for general information, training schedules, and updates to be posted in the Provider Bulletins, At a Glance, and on the Department's website.
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The Colorado Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: Patient Safety - webinar, Aug. 10
Opioid misuse, abuse, and diversion are significant healthcare challenges in the United States. The goal for this presentation is to inform practitioners, pharmacists, and laypeople about how the Colorado Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) increases patient safety by serving as a useful tool for practitioners making controlled substance prescribing decisions.
Via webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 9-9:30am, everyone is welcome to learn and:
- Increase your understanding of the scope of the opioid crisis in the United States, with an emphasis on Colorado, as it relates to the importance of PDMP usage and opioid safety.
- Describe PDMP features that increase volume of patient-specific queries to the PDMP, and thus protect a greater number of patients, based on best practices.
- Provide examples of outreach opportunities offered by Colorado's PDMP which lead to wider patient and practitioner understanding of the possible dangers associated with the prescribing and dispensing of opioid prescriptions.
Register here.
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Medicare Billing Certificate Programs for Part B Providers
A revised, web-based Medicare Billing Certificate Program for Part B Providers Web-Based Training (WBT) is available through the L earning Management and Product Ordering System. This is a good opportunity for any staff new to medical billing to learn about Part B of the Medicare program, Medicare claims and billing requirements.
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Healthy Transitions Colorado: Tackling Payment Reform - How Leveraging Value is Changing the Game - Aug. 22-23
Denver Police Protective Association 2105 Decatur St, Denver, CO 80211 8:30 am - 3:30 pm (registration at 8:00 am) A lot is happening in the world of payment reform. To bring into focus what is happening in Colorado, Healthy Transitions Colorado is dedicating their August Symposium to payment reform. Click here for more details and to register.
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Transcription Outsourcing, LLC is the leading U.S. provider of medical transcription services. We provide physicians with the ability to be more productive and more profitable. To learn more, call 720-287-3710, visit www.transcriptionoutsourcing.net or email [email protected].
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Take Credit Cards? Is Your Practice Ready for the Oct. 15 EMV Deadline?
Important! What your practice needs to know about switching to EMV: Click here.
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GreenLight is the national leader in web-enabled behavioral health testing with over half a million assessments in 35 states. GreenLight is designed to help physicians enhance patient care, improve population health and add incremental revenue to the practice. Visit www.Greenlight.md or call 866.602.1778
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Carr Healthcare Realty exclusively represents healthcare tenants and buyers. We assist medical practices in all types of lease and purchase negotiations: New Offices, Expansions, Relocations, Practice Acquisitions, and Lease Renewals. Visit: www.carrhr.com
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Compliments of CMS: Reduce patient callbacks, HIPAA compliant, RX Savings up to 75%, click for free customization COLORADO DRUG CARD.
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Health insurance exchange information
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2016 National Conference of the Association of Health Care Auditors and Educators - Aug. 3-6DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Denver 3203 Quebec St. Denver, CO 80207 Learn more and register here.
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