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SDCMS "News You Can Use" (2011.11.04)

by: San Diego County Medical Society
Published November 4, 2011

SDCMS “News You Can Use”
— November 4, 2011

If You Haven't Already Done So, Please Take the 2011 SDCMS Physician Workforce and Compensation Survey
For those who have not yet completed the survey, please take 5 minutes by clicking here. The survey is 100% anonymized!

  • allergy and immunology (4)
  • endocrinology (5)
  • gastroenterology (10)
  • pain medicine (8)
  • plastic surgery (6)
  • pulmonology (11)
  • rheumatology (1)
  • thoracic surgery (3)
  • urology (10)

Deadline to Apply for Medicare E-prescribing Hardship Exemption Extended to November 8, 2011 • See Below

CMS Approves 10% California Medi-Cal Payment Cut: Call Your Members of Congress NOW!
This is a huge roadblock for healthcare reform implementation in California. These cuts will dramatically impact access to care for the poor, disabled, elderly, and pregnant women on Medi-Cal. CALL your members of Congress — using AMA’s grassroots hotline at (800) 833-6354 — and let them know the effect this cut will have on your patients and your practice! Urge them to ask CMS to reconsider their decision. Click here for further information, including talking points and background.

Medicare Delays Provider Enrollment Revalidation for Two Years • See Below

Is Your Biller HIPAA Version 5010 Compliant? See Below • Click Here for a Nov. 9 SDCMS Webinar Registration Form

CONTENTS

  • San Diego County Influenza Surveillance Update
  • Independent Study Finds Medi-Cal Patients’ Access to Healthcare Limited
  • Deadline to Apply for Medicare E-prescribing Hardship Exemption Extended to November 8
  • Medicare Participation Guide From AMA: Know Your Options
  • CMS Redesigns Medicare ACOs to Be More Appealing to Physicians
  • 3% Tax-withhold Bill Passes House
  • AMA Secures a Two-year Delay of Revalidation Effort
  • 2010 Medicare Quality Reporting Feedback Reports Now Available
  • 5010 Compliance Deadline
  • Are You Interested in Serving on SDCMS' Board of Directors?
  • Practice Management FAQs
  • Free Subscription to DocBookMD
  • CalHIPSO Extension on Receiving Free EHR Implementation Assistance
  • SDCMS-CMA Seminars, Webinars, and Events
  • San Diego County Healthcare Events

MEDICAL ...

San Diego County Influenza Surveillance Update: November 2, 2011 • Click Here

STATE ...

Independent Study Finds Medi-Cal Patients’ Access to Healthcare Limited
An independent study commissioned by CMA found that 36 percent of Medi-Cal enrollees said they were unable to see a doctor because the provider did not participate in Medi-Cal. That is four times the number of privately insured Californians who were turned down by doctors due to their insurance carrier (9 percent). Click here to read further.

FEDERAL ...

Deadline to Apply for Medicare E-prescribing Hardship Exemption Extended to November 8, 2011
Many physicians had reported difficulty logging onto the CMS Communication Support Page to activate their e-prescribing hardship extension. Because of this difficulty, CMS has pushed back its deadline to apply for an exemption until Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Click here to file for a hardship exemption. If you have problems accessing the hardship exemption webpage, select Tools (at the hardship extension website), then Internet Options, then Advanced in your internet browser. Scroll down toward the bottom and locate the “Use TLS 1.0” option. Place a checkmark next to “Use TLS 1.0.” Click OK. Attempt to access the site again. If you still have trouble accessing the site, the QualityNet Help Desk may be reached at (866) 288-8912 or by email at qnetsupport@sdps.org from 7am to 7pm CT, Monday through Friday. Due to the high volume of calls the QualityNet Help Desk has been receiving, there may be a waiting period. Click here for further information.

Medicare Participation Guide From AMA: Know Your Options • Click Here

CMS Redesigns Medicare ACOs to Be More Appealing to Physicians
The Obama administration’s final rule on Medicare accountable care organizations removes several proposed conditions on participants in an effort to make the new shared savings payment model more enticing to physicians and other key players. Click here to read the complete story.

3% Tax-withhold Bill Passes House
On October 27, 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 674, AMA-supported legislation that prevents a planned 3% tax-withhold for many Medicare payments, by a vote of 405–16. The statute, originally passed in 2006 and delayed several times, called for all federal, state, and local government payments to those providing services or goods to have 3% of the payment withheld until the following tax year in an effort to increase tax compliance. However, the original statute was overly broad and would have applied even to Medicare payments made to physicians. The bill goes on to the Senate where a similar proposal fell three votes short of the needed 60 last week.

AMA Secures a Two-year Delay of Revalidation Effort
CMS recently launched an effort to revalidate the enrollment of every provider and supplier by March 23, 2013, pursuant to the program integrity screening provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In response to AMA advocacy, the revalidation effort will be pushed back through 2015, and physicians will be among the last to revalidate. As well, CMS announced numerous, significant improvements to the online Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership (PECOS) system that should make revalidation less onerous for physicians. The changes physicians can expect to see in place by the end of 2012 include:

  • e-signatures
  • electronic document upload
  • batch upload capability
  • seamless password reset
  • enhancements for authorized officials
  • reassignment reports
  • new “my enrollments page” and “fast track view” screens
  • fewer duplicative document submission requirements

CMS has stated that these improvements to PECOS will be implemented before most physicians are asked to revalidate. AMA staff will work to ensure that these improvements are working for physicians and that the revalidation effort progresses as smoothly as possible.

2010 Medicare Quality Reporting Feedback Reports Now Available
Physicians can now download the 2010 Physician Quality Reporting System’s (PQRS) feedback reports at the CMS quality reporting portal. Click here to read further.

5010 Compliance Deadline [top]
As of January 1, 2012, Version 5010 will be required for all HIPAA standard transactions. This means:

  • Beginning January 1, 2012, HIPAA Version 4010A1 will no longer be accepted by Medicare.
  • All trading partners must operate in HIPAA Version 5010.

It is essential to begin the transition now to prevent a disruption to your claims processing and cash flow. If you have not done so already, CMS strongly encourages you to begin exchanging Version 5010 transactions with your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) NOW to ensure compliance with the January 1, 2012, impact date.

  • As a reminder, CMS offers free billing software that is Version 5010 compliant. Please contact your MAC, FI, or Carrier to obtain the latest Version of PC-Ace Pro32.
  • CMS also provides the Medicare Remit Easy Print (MREP) software to view and print compliant HIPAA 5010-835 remittance advices.
  • Medicare FFS providers should take advantage of the many resources CMS has provided on the 5010 dedicated website.
  • SDCMS members can find additional 5010 resources by clicking here.

LOCAL …

Are You Interested in Serving on SDCMS' Board of Directors?
If you wish to be considered for nomination, or if you have any questions about service on the board, please email Gehring@SDCMS.org. For the 2012 election of directors, the following positions are open:

  • Geographic Director (voting) East County — two open positions
  • Geographic Director (voting) La Jolla — one open position
  • Geographic Director (alternate) North County — one open position
  • At-large (voting) — one open position
  • At-large (alternate) — one open position

And the following positions have an incumbent:

  • Geographic Director (voting) North County — two positions with incumbents
  • Geographic Director (voting) South Bay — one position with incumbent
  • Geographic Director (voting) Hillcrest — one position with incumbent
  • At-large (voting) — one position with incumbent
  • Geographic Director (alternate) East County — one position with incumbent
  • Geographic Director (alternate) Hillcrest — one position with incumbent

If you are a resident or young physician (under 40 or in first eight years of practice), there are, for each category, one voting and one alternate position.

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT FAQs …

Member Physician Question: Can you recommend a HIPPA-compliant online storage service?
Response: We strongly recommend online backups as long as the backup company can validate that the data is held in an encrypted form on their data center servers. Physicians don't need to do anything further other than get this assurance in writing. Interestingly, neither Amazon or Google will provide this, but if you go on the Dropbox or Carbonite websites, they make such an assurance. So whoever the physician is considering should be asked to provide written confirmation that they are encrypting the physician's data on the backup servers and that the encryption should be at least 256 bit AES or higher. David Ginsberg, President, PrivaPlan Associates, Inc.

Member Physician Question: How do I comply with patient requests to restrict disclosures to a health plan?
Response: Since the passage of the HITECH Act, physicians have inquired about how to comply with a provision that conflicts with most health plan provider contracts. The provision gives patients the right to restrict disclosure of “protected health information” (PHI) to health plans in certain circumstances. Under this provision, physicians covered by HIPAA are required to comply with patient requests to restrict disclosure of PHI to a health plan if all three of the following criteria are met:

  • The disclosure would be for purposes of payment or health care operations, and not for treatment purposes;
  • The PHI at issue pertains solely to a health care item or service for which the individual pays out-of pocket and in full; and
  • The disclosure is not required by law.

Many physicians are contractually obligated to submit all claims to the health plans for covered services. Physicians are also often contractually prohibited from collecting any fees other than copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles for these covered services. CMA expects final regulations for the HITECH Act, including the provision at issue here, to be published shortly. Click here to read further.

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT BENEFIT …

SDCMS MEMBERS With an iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, and Now Any Android-based Phones and Tablets Receive a Free Subscription to DocBookMD!
DocBookMD gives you the entire San Diego County physician (members and nonmembers) database on your mobile devices. Bonus: You can HIPAA-compliantly, bi-directionally communicate with photos with other members who have signed up for the system. You can use any two devices per DocBookMD account, including any combination of Android or Apple device. Go to the App Store now to upgrade or the Android Market to download DocBookMD for Android today. To register for free, all you need is your SDCMS DocBookMD number, and Marisol Gonzalez, your SDCMS physician advocate, can give it to you. Reach Marisol at MGonzalez@SDCMS.org or at (858) 300-2783.

  • Click Here to Watch a “Getting Started” Video by SDCMS
  • Click Here to Watch a “Features” Video by SDCMS

CalHIPSO Extension on Receiving Free EHR Implementation Assistance
Our Local Extension Center has received a temporary reprieve from CalHIPSO on the cut-off of free CalHIPSO membership and benefits. A limited number of membership spots have been reserved, which will allow participating primary care practices of 10 or fewer practitioners to receive assistance in EHR implementation (internal medicine, family, adolescent, pediatrics, OB/GYN, or general practice all qualify through ARRA funding). These limited spots may be filled by other practices throughout the state, so ACT NOW. To receive EHR assistance, contact Rob Yeates at Rob.Yeates@SDCMS.org or at (858) 300-2791.

SDCMS-CMA SEMINARS / WEBINARS / EVENTS — MARK YOUR CALENDARS
For further information or to register for any of thefollowing SDCMS seminars, webinars, or events, visit http://SDCMS.org/event or contact Serena Sauerheber at (858) 300-2779 or at Serena.Sauerheber@SDCMS.org.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY HEALTHCARE EVENTS
To submit a community healthcare event for possible publication, email KLewis@SDCMS.org. Events should be physician-focused andshould take place in or near San Diego County.

  • NOV 5: Caring Hearts Medical Clinic Health Fair • 10am–2pm • 2401 Reo Drive, San Diego, CA 92139 • To participate, volunteer, or support the foundation, please call Marcelle at (619) 479-6767.
  • NOV 5: 6th Annual Sharp HospiceCare Conference: Caring for End-of-Life Patients in the Age of Healthcare Reform • Paradise Point Resort and Spa • http://www.sharp.com/classes (select CME from dropdown menu)
  • NOV 5–6: 3rd Annual Heart and Vascular Conference 2011: Awareness, Prevention, and Intervention • 8:00am–12:00pm • La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad • CME/CEU: Physicians 6 Credits • $125 • http://www.sharp.com/classes (select “Continuing Education” from the dropdown menu)
  • NOV 10–11: The Coalition for Physician Enhancement (CPE) Fall 2011 Meeting • “Practicing Medicine Longer: The Impact of Aging on Physician Clinical Performance and Quality of Care” • Hotel Solamar (Downtown San Diego) • http://www.physicianenhancement.org
  • DEC 1–3: 5th Annual UC San Diego Hands-On Endoluminal, Single Site, and NOTES Surgery Symposium • Hard Rock Hotel San Diego • http://cme.ucsd.edu/notes/index.html
  • DEC 5–8: 2011 Military Healthcare Convention and Conference San Diego • http://www.militaryhealthcareconvention.com
  • JAN 19–22: 9th Annual Natural Supplements: An Evidence-based Update • Hilton San Diego Bayfront
  • JAN 21: Brain Tumors: 2nd Annual Collaborative Care Conference • Catamaran Resort Hotel, San Diego • Sponsored by UC San Diego School of Medicine • http://cme.ucsd.edu/braintumors
  • MAR 10–17: Timmy Global Health Mission Trip to Ecuador • Clinics seeing approximately 40 patients per provider per day. • http://www.timmyglobalhealth.org
  • MAR 12–16: Topics and Advances in Internal Medicine • Catamaran Resort Hotel, San Diego • http://cme.ucsd.edu/internalmed
  • MAR 15: Prescription Opioid Misuse Academy: The Dark Side of Prescription Opioids • An Educational Program of the American College of Medical Toxicology • Catamaran Resort Hotel, Mission Bay • http://www.acmt.net
  • MAR 17–18: Topics and Advances in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine • Catamaran Resort Hotel, San Diego • http://cme.ucsd.edu/internalmed
  • APR 19–22: California Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting • Park Hyatt Resort in Carlsbad • http://www.coa.org/coa-annual-meeting.html
  • APR 25: Sharon’s Ride Run Walk for Epilepsy 2012! • Deanza Cove Mission Bay Park • $25 Individuals/$50 Family/Phils BBQ Lunch Included • 7:30am-1:00pm • http://sharonsride2012.kintera.org/
  • NOV 2: 13th Annual Science and Clinical Application of Integrative Holistic Medicine • Hilton San Diego Resort

“Art at its most significant is a distant early warning system that can always be relied on to tell the old culture what is beginning to happen.”
— Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980) Canadian Educator, Philosopher, and Scholar

Read more about: Managing Your Practice, NYCU, News You Can Use

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