"News You Can Use" <> July 7, 2015 July 8, 2015 CURES, ICD-10 CURES, ICD-10, SB 277, Vaccinations 0 CONTENTS Governor Signs CMA-sponsored Vaccination Bill One-year Grace Period Announced for Using an Incorrect ICD-10 Code CMA Shortstops Major Problem Posed by June 30 CURES 2.0 Launch Your Member Services Quiz Supreme Court Upholds ACA Subsidies California Court Rules Against Constitutional Attack on MICRA CMS Proposes Rule Aligning 2015–17 Stage 1 & 2 Meaningful Use Objectives and Measures With Proposed Stage 3 Requirements CMS’ Open Payments Posts Full Year of 2014 Financial Data Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice Expansion Beyond Their Training Loses in Assembly Health Governor's Special Medi-Cal Session Provides New Opportunity for CMA to Push Through Permanent and Significant Medi-Cal Funding Increase California State Auditor Releases Report Outlining Medi-Cal Program Flaws Save Lives California Launches $2 Million Campaign to Raise the State’s Tobacco Tax, Improve Public Health OIG Issues "Physician Compensation Arrangements May Result in Significant Liability" Fraud Alert After Texas Settlement Less Than Three Months Until ICD-10 Implementation Second ICD-10 Boot Camp Added in San Diego on August 27–28 Is Your Office Working on ICD-10 Compliance? Read the July 2015 Issue of CMA Practice Resources (CPR) Work-Life Balance Workshop on Saturday, October 17 Can You Help Spread the Message of Health by Making a Brief Presentation in Your Community? ABOVE THE FOLD Governor Signs CMA-sponsored Vaccination Bill: The new law, SB 277, makes California one of three states that do not offer a personal belief or religious exemption for required vaccinations. Click here to read the governor’s signing message. Click Here for Details Executive Director Comment: This is a perfect example of CMA and organized medicine using their influence to impact public health. It’s member dues dollars that created effective advocacy that facilitated this bill's being passed into law. One-year Grace Period Announced for Using an Incorrect ICD-10 Code: Yesterday, June 6, CMS and AMA announced a one-year grace period for the implementation of ICD-10. CMA has been strongly advocating for such a grace period with advance payments since last April. Most recently, CMA organized a meeting with CMS staff and representatives from the Big Four State Medical Associations (CA, FL, NY, TX) to urge adoption of this grace period as a lifeline for small practices. CMA's president, Dr. Cobb, was on the call advocating on behalf of CMA physicians. The ICD-10 Ombudsman was a direct result of CMA's meeting with CMS. Physicians must still use ICD-10, but as long as they are trying to use ICD-10 and bill within the same family of codes, payments will not be denied or delayed. Moreover, they will not be subject to audits. However, if payments are held up, either because of CMS system problems or physician errors, CMS will make advance payments to keep resources flowing to the harmed practices. And, finally, CMS is also ensuring that incorrect ICD-10 coding does not hold up quality payments or result in inaccurate quality reporting program payments. Executive Director Note: This does NOT change the October 1, 2015, ICD-10 implementation date! CMA Shortstops Major Problem Posed by June 30 CURES 2.0 Launch: Click Here for Details TOP YOUR MEMBER SERVICES QUIZ Question: How will we know if we’ve failed to meet the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) reporting requirements for the previous year? Are there any reports we can access to review the data submitted? Click Here for the Answer TOP FEDERAL Supreme Court Upholds ACA Subsidies: Click Here for Details California Court Rules Against Constitutional Attack on MICRA: The California Court of Appeals determined that “the legitimate debate over the wisdom of MICRA’s noneconomic damages cap remains a matter for the Legislature and state electorate.” Click here to read the brief. Click Here for Further Details CMS Proposes Rule Aligning 2015–17 Stage 1 & 2 Meaningful Use Objectives and Measures With Proposed Stage 3 Requirements; CMA Advocates for More Change: Click here to read CMA’s June 15 letter to CMS. Click here for CMA HIT information and resources (free to SDCMS-CMA members). Click Here for Further Details CMS’ Open Payments Posts Full Year of 2014 Financial Data: Click Here for Details TOP STATE Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice Expansion Beyond Their Training Loses in Assembly Health: Click Here for Details Governor's Special Medi-Cal Session Provides New Opportunity for CMA to Push Through Permanent and Significant Medi-Cal Funding Increase: Click Here for Details California State Auditor Releases Report Outlining Medi-Cal Program Flaws: Among the key findings was that the California DHCS, which administers Medi-Cal, “has not consistently monitored health plans to ensure that they meet beneficiaries’ medical needs.” Click here for the full report. Click Here for Further Details Save Lives California Launches $2 Million Campaign to Raise the State’s Tobacco Tax, Improve Public Health: Money generated from the measures would be directed to California’s health insurance program for low-income families, Medi-Cal, and to “smoking prevention, cures, and strengthening a healthcare system strained by tobacco-related disease.” Visit www.savelivescalifornia.com for more information. Click Here for Further Details OIG Issues "Physician Compensation Arrangements May Result in Significant Liability" Fraud Alert After Texas Settlement: Click here to read the OIG alert. For more information on the federal anti-kickback statute, see CMA ON-CALL document #1151, “Prohibitions Against Kickbacks and Fee-Splitting” (free to SDCMS-CMA members). Click Here for Further Details TOP ICD-10 Less Than Three Months Until ICD-10 Implementation — If You’re Not Preparing, You Should Be: Click Here for Further Details Second ICD-10 Boot Camp Added in San Diego on August 27–28: SDCMS is partnering with the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) to present a two-day workshop on August 27 and 28 at SDCMS’s offices — our June bootcamp sold out! Cost is $399 for SDCMS members and staff (a $200 discount!). October 1 is closer than you think!!! Click here for details and to register. Executive Director Comment: ICD-10, if you don’t prepare for it, could have a major disruption on your cash flow in October. Please, please take the time to prepare now. Here is how your Medical Society is helping members avoid “October OMG” moments … Is Your Office Working on ICD-10 Compliance? Click here for a number of SDCMS members-only resources (email Membership@SDCMS.org for login assistance). Click here information about SDCMS’s August 27–28 ICD-10-CM Code Set Boot Camp (8:00am–5:00pm each day) — $399 for SDCMS members and staff (a $200 discount!). Click here for a number of CMA members-only resources, including its ICD-10 Transition Guide for Physicians. October 1 is closer than you think!!! TOP BENEFITS / PRACTICE MANAGEMENT Read the July 2015 Issue of CMA Practice Resources (CPR): Aetna Issues Physician Terminations Over Frequency of E/M Visits: Click Here Physicians Receiving Notice From CHPI Encouraged to Verify Data Accuracy by July 31: Click Here Anthem Blue Cross Begins Medical Chart Reviews in July: Click Here Anthem Blue Cross Announces Further Changes to Reimbursement Policies and Claims Software: Click Here Slight Increase to Medicare Reimbursement Rates Effective July 1: Click Here Anthem Confirms Error in Policy Change Notice; New Requirement Will Not Affect Physicians: Click Here Share Your Experience With Noridian by Taking a Survey: Click Here TOP LOCAL Work-Life Balance Workshop on Saturday, October 17: Take an honest look at your life, reacquaint yourself with what you find most meaningful, and then make the changes that will bring your life into greater balance! Join your colleagues and Helane Fronek, MD, certified physician development coach, on Saturday, October 17, from 9:00am to noon to begin to see your life, and your choices in it, in a new light! Workshop limited to 12 physicians. Email Dr. Fronek at hsfronek@aol.com for details or to reserve your spot today! 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 children, adults, seniors, and employees 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 “To avoid delay, please have all your symptoms ready.” — Notice in Doctor’s Waiting Room Comments are closed.