"News You Can Use" — July 9, 2013 July 9, 2013 Medi-Cal, MICRA, TRICARE MAC, Medi-Cal, MICRA, Noridian, TRICARE 0 CONTENTS: Media Training This Saturday, July 13, 8:30am-11:30am 10% Medi-Cal Cuts Have Clearance to Go Forward -- Final Appeal to Supreme Court Is Denied Check out SDCMS's Op-Ed in the June 27 Union-Tribune The Medicare Part B Contractor Changes This September 16 Executive Director Comment: The Trial Lawyers' War on MICRA Is Heating Up Executive Director Comment: Are You at Risk With the New TRICARE Contractor, UMVS? If You Have Not Already Done So, Please Take SDCMS' 2-Question Medi-Cal Survey How to Opt out of Medi-Cal MBC Decides It Does Have Authority to Discipline Utilization Review Physicians June 27, 2013, Edition of CMA's Legislative Hot List Budget Deal Gives UC Riverside School of Medicine $15 Million in Funding Medicare Payor Part B Transition Date Set: September 16, 2013 Join Noridian's Mailing List to Stay Apprised of Changes CMS Conducts Meaningful Use Audits in California Supreme Court Split on "Pay for Delay" Deals How High Court Bias Rulings Will Affect Medical Workplace Suits Court Gives Hospital Narrow Win on Peer Review Sign up to Attend Our July 20 "Taming Microsoft Outlook" Workshop SDCMS Survey on Mandated Reporting of Elder Abuse Calling All Psychiatrists: Maintenance of Certification Demystified Resources to Assist Physicians with Contracting With Exchange Plans July 2013 CMA Practice Resources (CPR) Follow SDCMS' Twitter Feed and Get a Treasure Trove of Healthcare News Delivered Daily to Your Smartphone Is Your Office Manager / Practice Administrator Using SDCMS' Online Forum? ABOVE THE FOLD <> Media Training This Saturday, July 13, 8:30am-11:30am: Improve your newspaper, radio, standup TV interview, and TV panel media skills, including videotaping / live feedback. Email me at Gehring@SDCMS.org if you plan on attending or need further information. <> 10% Medi-Cal Cuts Have Clearance to Go Forward -- Final Appeal to Supreme Court Is Denied: The when / how are unknown, but CMA is working to define them. Click Here <> Check out SDCMS's Op-Ed in the June 27 Union-Tribune: "Physicians Should Take the Lead on Patient Care" -- Click Here <> The Medicare Part B Contractor Changes This September 16: Click here for information on San Diego seminars to help you make the transition. <> Executive Director Comment: The trial lawyers' war on MICRA is heating up. We expect them to submit a ballot measure to drastically weaken MICRA, bypassing the Legislature where we have built solid support for MICRA. This is, as we used to say in the Navy, not a drill. Stay tuned! <> Executive Director Comment: The new TRICARE contractor, UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services (UMVS), has inserted language that may put you at risk under the following conditions: IF malpractice is claimed, and both the doctor and the federal government are sued, but only the doctor is found guilty, THEN the feds could sue the doctor for the cost of defending the feds. Low probability, but not zero. Please check with your medical malpractice carrier to see whether you are exposed to this risk. CMA is working to change the UMVS language to preclude this problem, but that's a slow process. If you see UMVS patients but are not contracted with UMVS, this is not an issue. MEDI-CAL <> If You Have Not Already Done So, Please Take SDCMS' 2-Question Medi-Cal Survey: If (and only if) you take Medi-Cal, please CLICK HERE to take our two-question, multiple choice survey so that we can get some data to our legislators. Thank you! <> How to Opt out of Medi-Cal: Physicians who wish to terminate their participation in the Medi-Cal program may request to be deactivated by submitting a Medi-Cal Supplemental Changes (DHCS 6209) form along with a cover letter explaining the action requested and the effective date of the termination. There is no official advance notice required when terminating your enrollment in the Medi-Cal program, which is why CMA suggests the physician simply indicate the requested date in their cover letter. Ultimately, the Medi-Cal Provider Enrollment Division has the final say on the effective date, but they try to honor the requested date. STATE <> MBC Decides It Does Have Authority to Discipline Utilization Review Physicians: Click Here <> June 27, 2013, Edition of CMA's Legislative Hot List: CMA's Hot List provides a summary and status of CMA-sponsored bills as well as the progress of other significant legislation followed by CMA. Click here to subscribe. <> Budget Deal Gives UC Riverside School of Medicine $15 Million in Funding: Click Here FEDERAL <> Medicare Payor Part B Transition Date Set: September 16, 2013: To help physicians understand what is changing, Noridian is offering a series of Implementation 101 and EDI Support Services web-based workshops. Noridian is also holding in-person "Meet and Greet" workshops throughout the state, with the following San Diego dates: Tuesday, July 23, 9:00am-11:00am, Embassy Suites, San Diego Tuesday, July 23, 1:00pm-3:00pm, Embassy Suites, San Diego Wednesday, July 24, 9:00am-11:00am, Embassy Suites, San Dieg Wednesday, July 24, 1:00pm-3:00pm, Embassy Suites, San Diego Thursday, July 25, 9:00am-11:00am, Embassy Suites, San Diego Thursday, July 25, 1:00pm-3:00pm, Embassy Suites, San Diego Registration for these workshops is required; click here, accept the "End User Agreement for Providers," and click on "Schedule of Events." In addition, monthly "Ask-the-Contractor Teleconferences" (ACTs) are scheduled, where providers are welcome to discuss any implementation questions or concerns. No registration required. Click here for details, including how to submit a question prior to the ACT. July and August dates: Wednesday, July 24, at 2:00pm (PST), Call-in #: (800) 230-1059 Wednesday, August 21, at 2:00pm (PST), Call-in #: (800) 230-1059 <> Join Noridian's Mailing List to Stay Apprised of Changes: Click Here <> CMS Conducts Meaningful Use Audits in California: CMS has begun auditing California physicians who attested through the federal EHR incentive programs. Click Here <> Supreme Court Split on "Pay for Delay" Deals: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that brand-name drug makers can be sued for violating antitrust laws if they pay competitors not to bring lower-cost alternatives to market, but that so-called "pay for delay" deals are not inherently illegal. Click Here <> How High Court Bias Rulings Will Affect Medical Workplace Suits: For alleged discrimination in the medical field, some experts say the decisions clarify legal standards for plaintiffs, while others say employee rights are at risk. Click Here <> Court Gives Hospital Narrow Win on Peer Review: A cardiologist who claims his privileges were revoked unfairly by an improperly chosen review panel will continue his legal fight against a California medical center. Click Here LOCAL <> Sign up to Attend Our July 20 "Taming Microsoft Outlook" Workshop: This three-and-a-half hour SDCMS members-only workshop is a must-attend for those busy physicians looking to make Microsoft Outlook their servant and not their master. Email me at Gehring@SDCMS.org. <> SDCMS Survey on Mandated Reporting of Elder Abuse: If you see geriatric patients, please click here to take a (very short) survey. <> Calling All Psychiatrists: Maintenance of Certification Demystified: Did you pass your General Psychiatry boards or the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry boards after 1994? Are you certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in any subspecialty? If you answered "yes" to either 1 or 2 above, then this presentation is for you! Join us on Saturday, August 3, at SDCMS as UCSD faculty member Jonathan Meyer, MD, explains what you need to do to maintain your board certification(s). He'll clarify the confusion surrounding Self-Assessment Activities, and provide resources for completing the Performance in Practice (PIP) modules, and tracking your maintenance of certification (MOC) progress. When: Saturday, August 3, 2013, 8:30am-11:00am Where: 5575 Ruffin Rd., Ste. 250, San Diego CA 92123 Free for APA members; $20 for non-members Continental breakfast provided Sponsored by Neuroscience Education Institute To register, email Janelle Kistler, Esq., at Janelle.Kistler@SDCMS.org For more information, call (858) 279-4586 BENEFITS / PRACTICE MANAGEMENT <> Resources to Assist Physicians with Contracting With Exchange Plans: Click Here <> July 2013 CMA Practice Resources (CPR): Bill Electronically for Medicare? Board Early! New Medicare Transition Webpage Available Attestation for Medi-Cal Primary Care Rate Increase to Begin in July Federal Medi-Cal Audits in Process Meaningful Use Payment Adjustments Are Coming Soon Covered California Unveils Qualified Health Plans, Expected Premiums Next Phase of Healthy Families to Medi-Cal Transition Scheduled for August 1 Update Your NPI Information Before the Medicare Transition to Noridian! Updated Payor Profiles Now Available Complex Chronic Care Coordination Services Added to E/M <> Follow SDCMS' Twitter Feed and Get a Treasure Trove of Healthcare News Delivered Daily to Your Smartphone: Click Here <> Is Your Office Manager / Practice Administrator Using SDCMS' Online Forum? Click Here to Join "If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow." — Chinese Proverb Comments are closed.