Tag: CMS (Medicare and Medicaid)
Medicare Advantage Audits
In response, the Texas Medical Association has developed free CME to help member physicians prepare for such audits.
Renewed Form for ABN
The ABN, Form CMS-R-131, and form instructions have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal. The use of the renewed form with the expiration date of 01/31/2026 will be MANDATORY on 6/30/23.
The Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131, is issued by providers to Original Medicare (fee for service – FFS) beneficiaries in situations where Medicare payment is expected to be denied.
The ABN is issued in order to transfer potential financial liability to the Medicare beneficiary in certain instances
CMS Efforts to Reduce Prior Auth Burden
Insurers must halve the length of time they take to respond to prior authorization requests
Insurers may no longer require preapproval for emergency behavioral healthcare.
Insurers have to explain denials and publish data on their decisions.
Patients in active treatment who change carriers must be given at least 90 days before the new insurer can require another prior authorization.
Click the below articles for more information.
UHC April Monthly Overview
For Texas:
Starting June 1, 2023, Optum will manage prior authorization and step therapy requests for prescription medications for Texas residents with pharmacy coverage.
Prevent Improper Code Bundling
Physicians can take advantage of a new Medicare tool to sort through service codes that can be bundled together for claims payment – and AVOID improper billing.
The CMS recently released the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) procedure-to-procedure (PTP) lookup tool to promote accurate code-bundling and prevent improper payment of Medicare Part B and Medicaid claims when incorrect code combinations are reported.
Available via Texas’ Medicare contractor Novitas Solutions, the tool is further designed to help physicians identify when certain pairs of codes are subject to automated edits.
AND FOR EVEN MORE TOOLS
CLICK ON ANY OF THE BUTTONS BELOW
2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
On November 01, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that includes updates and policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and other Medicare Part B issues, effective on or after January 1, 2023.
TX Resources for Family
Physicians who frequently refer patients to no- and low-cost state services like health insurance and child care will find that easier now that the state has launched familyresources.texas.gov, a website that puts links to those services all in one place.
Who ya’ gonna call?
HAVING ISSUES WITH MEDICARE CALLS?
Who do you call? A source from MGMA shared this information.
They suggest you file a complaint and email CMS leadership. Because complaints go to “low-level” administrative staff whose entire goal is to close them.
Create a complaint letter detailing your experience. Email it to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Administrator and CC to the relevant CMS leadership as follows:
CMS Administrator: Chiquita Brooks-LaSure [email protected]
Deputy Chief Operating Officer: Karen Jackson [email protected]
Director Office of Program Operations & Local Engagement: Nancy O’Connor [email protected]
Deputy Administrator and Director Center for Medicare: Meena Seshamani, M.D., PhD [email protected]
Deputy Administrator & Director Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation: Elizabeth Fowler [email protected]
Deputy Administrator and Director Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight: Dr. Ellen Montz [email protected]
Deputy Director: Cheri Rice [email protected]
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