"News You Can Use" <> January 22, 2015 January 22, 2015 Public Health Measles 0 CONTENTS Join Your Fellow South Bay Physicians Tomorrow, Jan. 23, for a Networking Event and Social Attend SDCMS’s January 29 “Medicare Updates and Changes for 2015” Seminar / Webinar Attend SDCMS’s FREE “Preparing to Practice” Workshop on January 31 Jim Hay, MD, Will Be the Man of the Hour at the SDCMS Foundation Celebration 10 Event on Saturday, February 7 Your Member Services Quiz Measles Update: More Potential Public Exposure in San Diego Read the Jan. 21 San Diego County Influenza Report Report Your Patients’ Blood Pressure Readings as Part of Friday, February 13 Love Your Heart Day Can You Help Spread the Message of Health by Making a Brief Presentation in Your Community? U.S. Supreme Court to Hear ACA Subsidy Case on March 4 Deadline Approaching for San Diego Physicians Wishing to Opt out of New United Healthcare Medi-Cal Managed Care Network CMS Held Medicare Claims for First Two Weeks of January CMA Files Brief in Medicaid Case to Be Heard by the U.S. Supreme Court Calif. Insurance Commissioner Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring Health Insurers to Have Sufficient Networks Governor's January Budget Proposal Leaves State's Woeful Medi-Cal Reimbursement Rates Untouched Medical Students and Residents: Interested in a Chance to Win $5,000? 2013–14 Medical Board of California Annual Report Get Insights on Patient Safety Delivered to Your Inbox Covered California Enrollment Information and Deadlines Covered California Physician Resources ABOVE THE FOLD Join Your Fellow South Bay Physicians Tomorrow, Jan. 23, for a Networking Event and Social: 6–9pm. RSVP to JOhmstede@SDCMS.org for the address and details. Attend SDCMS’s January 29 “Medicare Updates and Changes for 2015” Seminar / Webinar: 11:30am to 1:00pm. Click Here Attend SDCMS’s FREE “Preparing to Practice” Workshop on January 31: At the Moores Cancer Center from 8:00am to 4:00pm — continental breakfast and lunch provided. Click here for details, including topics covered and how to register. Jim Hay, MD, Will Be the Man of the Hour at the SDCMS Foundation Celebration 10 Event on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Del Mar Country Club: Celebrating 10 years of service to the community, the SDCMS Foundation will honor its founding president and founder of Project Access San Diego. Tables and tickets are limited — call Liz Brave at (858) 300-2789 or click here to purchase. TOP YOUR MEMBER SERVICES QUIZ Question: I received a letter from CMS informing me of a 1.5% cut in my Medicare reimbursements for 2015. I am a solo practitioner who does inpatient consultation and have no office. I don’t have an EHR, so I can’t see how the reporting applies. How can I get this reviewed and reversed? Click Here for the Answer TOP MEDICAL Measles Update: More Potential Public Exposure in San Diego: Click Here Read the Jan. 21 San Diego County Influenza Report: Click Here TOP LOCAL Report Your Patients’ Blood Pressure Readings as Part of Friday, February 13 Love Your Heart Day: The SDCMS Foundation is partnering with the County of San Diego HHSA to show the power of physicians. A simple score sheet will tally the number you measure and BP ranges. Click here for the form; email your interest in participating to Ana.Seda@SDCMS.org. This year’s goal: 25,000 BPs in one day countywide. Can You Help Spread the Message of Health by Making a Brief Presentation in Your Community? The SDCMS Foundation is partnering with the County of San Diego to educate community members on how to improve their lives and take charge of their health by launching a Live Well Physicians’ Speakers Bureau. Contact Barbara.Mandel@SDCMS.org to say YES, you will volunteer just one or two times a year, quarterly, or however your schedule allows. TOP FEDERAL U.S. Supreme Court to Hear ACA Subsidy Case on March 4: King v. Burwell questions whether premium subsidies can be provided under the ACA to individuals purchasing health insurance coverage on exchanges run by the federal government. Click Here for Details Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) Continuing to Require Physicians to Revalidate Their Medicare Enrollments: Revalidation notices have been sent out and will continue to be sent out until March 23, 2015. Click Here for Further Information TOP STATE Deadline Approaching for San Diego Physicians Wishing to Opt out of New United Healthcare Medi-Cal Managed Care Network: To opt out of the Community Plan product without affecting underlying United Healthcare commercial contracts, physicians must notify United Healthcare within 30 days of receipt of the notice — notices were mailed beginning December 12. Click Here for Details CMS Held Medicare Claims for First Two Weeks of January due to technical errors discovered after the 2015 Medicare physician fee schedule was published. Click Here for Details CMA Files Brief in Medicaid Case to Be Heard by the U.S. Supreme Court: Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center will determine whether Medicaid providers have a cause of action under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution to challenge a state’s compliance with Medicaid laws in setting reimbursement rates. Click Here for Details Calif. Insurance Commissioner Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring Health Insurers to Have Sufficient Networks: Click Here for Details Governor's January Budget Proposal Leaves State's Woeful Medi-Cal Reimbursement Rates Untouched: Click Here for Details Medical Students and Residents: Interested in a Chance to Win $5,000? Submit an essay about a patient safety event that personally changed you. Six winners will be chosen for The Doctors Company Foundation 2015 Young Physicians Patient Safety Awards. Applications, due February 2, 2015. Click Here 2013–14 Medical Board of California Annual Report: Click Here TOP BENEFITS / PRACTICE MANAGEMENT Get Insights on Patient Safety Delivered to Your Inbox: Click here to sign up for The Doctor’s Practice, The Doctors Company’s complimentary monthly newsletter featuring a new article or video in a simple, one-click email. TOP COVERED CALIFORNIA Enrollment Information and Deadlines: Open enrollment for new coverage or change in plan runs Nov. 15, 2014, to Feb. 15, 2015. Current enrollees will be automatically re-enrolled in their plans (even if there has been a change in the premium rate) if they are making no changes (either tier level or plan). All changes must be made by February 15, 2015, for this enrollment period. Medi-Cal enrollees don’t need to renew until they hear from Medi-Cal about next steps. TOP Physician Resources: New Tip Sheet From CMA: “Surviving Covered California: Preparing for Changes in 2015”: Click Here for Details Covered California Insurer Contacts Covered California Qualified Health Plan Insurance Carriers — Plan Year 2015 Office Placard Open Enrollment One Sheet Understanding the Grace Period Plan Names, ID Card, and Provider Directory Reference Guide Insurance Company Network Contacts Know Your Participation Status FAQs for Patients in English and Spanish TOP To see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour. — William Blake, English Painter, Poet, and Printmaker (1757–1827) Comments are closed.