Month: October 2021
Two New Files Added
PHE Extended, Again
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra has once again renewed the public health emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, effective Oct. 18, 2021. The extension will continue all telehealth waivers and other flexibilities pursuant to the PHE determination for another 90 days. Unless it is further extended, the current determination will lapse on Jan. 16, 2022. As a reminder, the Biden administration has indicated that it intends to provide the healthcare community with 60 days’ notice prior to allowing the PHE to lapse.
Attention: Codes deleted from ICD-10
ATTENTION!
Please Read!
Thirty-nine codes were deleted from the 2022 ICD-10 code set effective October 1, 2021.
Three of these 39 codes are billed by PCPs quite frequently:
M54.5 (low back pain)
R05 (cough)
R63.3 (feeding difficulties)
POET has been told, “Cigna Medicare is denying the whole claim as “inappropriate diagnosis code” when billed with one of these deleted codes. “
Texas Prepares to Inplement “GOLD CARD”
HAD YOUR FILL OF BURDENSOME PRIOR AUTHORIZATIONS?
For the Nitty Gritty of how House Bill 3459 is supposed to make your life easier follow this link to the TMA article by Joey Berlin.
When the PHE Expires, What then?
How to Reverify Patients’ Medicaid Eligibility
When the Public Health Emergency Ends
With the federal public health emergency (PHE) slated to expire at the end of 2021, millions of Medicaid patients across the U.S. are at risk of losing their coverage. Texas physicians should prepare by scheduling services as soon as possible for such patients and evaluating the financial impact of potential increases in uncompensated care. They also should expect to reverify patients’ Medicaid eligibility when the PHE expires.
Physicians can reverify patients’ eligibility electronically through the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) Electronic Data Interchange, TexMedConnect, or the Medicaid Client Portal. They can also call the TMHP Automated Inquiry System at (800) 925-9126.
Biden Vaccine Mandate Plan
Earlier this month, President Joe Biden introduced a six-point plan that mandates COVID-19 vaccines for millions of Americans.
Many details of the plan are still being developed as specific regulations are written, but at least one aspect of the plan is clear: The vaccination mandate for “over 17 million health care workers at Medicare and Medicaid-participating hospitals and other health care settings,” largely does not apply to small physician practices, according to Texas Medical Association analysis
HAVING UHC CLAIMS ISSUES?
If You Are Having UHC OON
Claims Issues,
Please Read This!
POET is working with the TMA regarding UHC OON issues. They have confirmed the following:
If you are billing with a GROUP TIN:
You will not utilize the group NPI# in box 33a – if you do, it will process OON. Only the individual physician’s NPI# should be listed here since your physicians has an individual contract with UHC, not a group contract.
For those claims processing OON, if timely filing limits have not passed you should file corrected claims with the individual NPI in box 33a.
When verifying whether a physician is in or out of network, you should not provide the group NPI#.
This only reflects physicians who are in the POET All Products contract. If you have a direct, POET is unable to direct you in this matter.
2nd Regulation Released Implementing No Surprises Act
On Thursday, Sept. 30, the Office of Personnel Management and the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury, released the second regulation implementing provisions of the No Surprises Act. On Dec. 27, 2020, the No Surprises Act was signed into law with the goal of protecting patients from receiving surprise medical bills. This rule follows prior rulemaking outlining patient protections against surprise medical bills, establishing out-of-pocket limits, and notice and consent requirements.
This rule implements dispute resolution processes for providers, patients, and health plans and takes effect Jan. 1, 2022. Consistent with the intent of the law and previous rules from the Administration, patients continue to remain harmless from outstanding surprise medical bills.
Follow these links for more information from CMS.gov.
Recent Comments