CMS Extends Telehealth Flexibilities to Protect Physician Privacy.

Following staunch advocacy by the Texas Medical Association, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will not require physicians to list their home address as a practice location on Medicare enrollment forms for another year when providing telehealth services, safeguarding their privacy and safety. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS allowed physicians to offer telehealth services from their homes without reporting their home address on their Medicare enrollment. However, that flexibility was set to expire Dec. 31.

Superior: Avoid Claim Denials

BILLING: Avoid Claim Denials 

As a reminder, claims submitted with invalid or unclean data will result in denial or rejection of an entire claim. Superior has provided a list of important claim submission tips and common billing errors to help ensure your claims are processed quickly and efficiently.

Review the full list of tips to ensure your claims are not denied. Just click the link.

Cigna MA Provider Directory

Per Jim there is an issue with the Cigna MA provider directory. Some providers are not listed. The problem has been reported and is being worked on. Thank you.

UHC and FedEx Team UP

UHC November Monthly Overview

Texas Medicaid: Earn 5.5 hours of free CE 
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) are partnering to offer 5.5 hours of free CE

Keep Your Staff Up to Date

Feel Free to Download and Print.

These lists can help your staff in so many ways.

Just Click, Download and Print

New Criminal History Background Check Requirement from TMB!

TMB to Start Fingerprinting With February License Renewals

Under a new law passed by the 2023 Texas Legislature, the Texas Medical Board (TMB) is set to roll out fingerprinting requirements for criminal history background checks as a part of physicians’ licensure renewal. TMB told TMA it is planning to start that process with February 2024 license expirations; instructions will be part of the email renewal notices that go out in December. Those licenses expiring in November are not affected for now. Texas Medicine Today will have additional coverage as more information becomes available. In the meantime, check the TMB website for updates.

Fingerprinting services are provided through IdentoGo by IDEMIA (formerly known as MorphoTrust USA, LLC) for a fee (see the Fingerprinting FAQs below for the current fees), payable directly to IdentoGo. Results of the fingerprinting will be sent directly to TMB from both the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Records and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Requirements for Claim Submissions 11/1/2023

Cigna Digital Solutions Update 11/1/2023

Beginning October 31, 2023, when you verify eligibility for patients with a third-party administrator (TPA) plan, the electronic data interchange (EDI) 271 transaction will indicate whether they are covered or not covered using information from Cigna Healthcare, as well as the TPA. It will also provide the TPA name and telephone number to confirm further eligibility or benefit information.

What this means for you

This enhancement will provide more clarity in the coding used by clearinghouses and electronic medical records vendors to electronically confirm eligibility for your patients and provide information on the entity to contact for benefit details. You may still need to call the TPA for further information.

What are TPA plans?
Employer groups who require a high level of customization and flexibility may choose to have TPAs administer their benefit plans. Cigna Payer Solutions has relationships with select TPAs to help meet the needs of employer groups by providing a wide range of complementary product solutions, including access to our medical network of providers.

How do I determine if my patient has a TPA plan?
You have two options to determine if your patient has a TPA plan: View their ID card or log in to the Cigna for Health Care Professionals website (CignaforHCP.com) to review their coverage details.

Patients with a TPA plan will have “Shared Administration” (or the letter “S”) at the bottom right of their TPA ID card (see the sample below). This designates that Cigna Healthcare shares the administration of the plan with a TPA. The ID card also includes the TPA phone number to call for eligibility and benefits information.

Superior Pediatric Vaccines 11/1/2023

For questions, please contact Pharmacy Provider Services 

 1-866-768-7147.

Updated: Vaccine Information

Date: 11/01/23

 

The best way to stay protected against COVID-19 and flu is by staying updated on vaccines. Superior HealthPlan would like to inform providers about current COVID-19 and flu vaccine coverage.

COVID-19 Vaccines
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated versions (2023-2024 formulation) of the COVID-19 vaccines; both the Pfizer and Moderna versions were approved in September and the Novavax version was approved in early October.

The Vendor Drug Program (VDP) is still working on getting the new COVID-19 vaccines added to the pharmacy formulary with no provided ETA. Superior Medicaid and CHIP members can obtain the new COVID-19 vaccines through their medical provider in the meantime or wait and return to the pharmacy once the VDP and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission have added the new vaccines to the pharmacy benefit. Please check the VDP Product Search for the most updated coverage of vaccines.

Flu Vaccines
The 2023-2024 flu vaccine formulations were added by the VDP to the pharmacy benefit on September 1, 2023. Similar to last year’s flu season, Medicaid and CHIP members who are 3 years of age and older can obtain their flu vaccine from a participating pharmacy. All members under 3 years of age will need to obtain a flu vaccine from their medical provider.

Superior